A Statewide Analysis of North Carolina Public Libraries and Their Response to the Opioid Epidemic

ABSTRACT

This study sought to investigate the opioid epidemic impact on North Carolina public libraries. Libraries in half of all 100 counties were chosen through a random, geographically systematic process, and structured interviews were completed with library directors. Twenty directors were interviewed, representing 28 counties. All reported their communities were affected; nine reported direct impacts on library function. Fifteen directors felt libraries should be involved in response; some felt Narcan administration was beyond library purview. Two libraries reported having Narcan available; five reported providing staff training. Given librarians’ willingness to respond, it is time to provide necessary support for those efforts.

KEYWORDS:

• Public libraries
• opioids
• opioid crisis
• opioid response
• public health
• substance abuse

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jordan Wrigley

Jordan Wrigley (MSLS, MA) is a 2020 Library Science graduate from the School of Information and Library Science at University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and the Research and Education Intern at Duke University Medical Center Library. ORCID: 0000-0003-0176-5980

Caitlin Kennedy

Caitlin Kennedy (MSLS) is the Research, Outreach, and Technology Librarian at Trinity College – Hartford and a 2019 Library Science graduate from the School of Information and Library Science at University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

Mary Grace Flaherty

Dr. Mary Grace Flaherty (PhD, MS, MLS) is an Associate Professor at the School of Information and Library Science at University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill focusing on health information and promotion as well as public libraries. ORCID: 0000-0002-8623-4259

Madison Ponder

Madison Ponder (BSPH, MPS) is a manager at Higgs Boson Health, previous EMT, and 2019 Health Informatics graduate from the School of Information and Library Science at University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

Meg Foster

Meg Foster (MSIS) is a current Juris Doctor Candidate at Northeastern University School of Law and 2019 Information Science graduate from the School of Information and Library Science at University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

Jesse Akman

Jesse Akman (MSLS) is a health sciences and STEM liaison librarian with the Carol Grotnes Belk Library at Elon University and 2019 Library Science graduate from the School of Information and Library Science at University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. ORCID: 0000-0002-1076-1175