First Responders in Libraries

Librarians are not first responders  Sounds like a perfectly truthful, logical statement.   Who would really expect for a librarian to perform medical emergency acts?  Sure,  librarians save the day with a much needed answer for a test or article book report.  The phrase “thanks!  You saved my life has been whispered to a librarian once or twice.  However, times have changed a bit thanks in part to the Opiod addiction that has made its grip felt on much of the country. Libraries in major cities such as Denver, Detroit and New York City have become out of necessity the defacto  day shelter for the homeless populations.  In that role, comes a new host of problems that have never been faced before.   How does this affect librarians?  Think first responders.  Think Narcan.

In most libraries, the day to day activities are most likely not going to include using life saving measures to help someone who is overdosing on drugs.  The typical day a the library is what most people would expect.  Story times, study partners meeting, book clubs and everything in between.  Since the Opioid crisis began, the drug problems that once seemed to be an “urban” issue now became “everywhere” issue.  Neighborhoods, rich or poor, urban or suburban were affected in some way by the Opioid crisis.   An astonishing number to reflect on is 19%.    That is the percentage of how many people died in the United. States due to overdose.  Astonishing,  isn’t it?    Public libraries began to have the difficult discussions on what to do if a patron becomes unconscious due to an overdose?  Do nothing?  Watch them die?  Try to give medical treatment?

Of course the logical course of action in any emergency in the library is to call 911.  However, in between the call and waiting for help one could feel helpless.  Just like everything else in the world today the thought of law suit comes to mind.  If you try to help and fail, will the library be liable for cause of death.  If the library personal does nothing except call 911 will liability come in again only this time for lack of action?    It’s a tough call but it at the end of the day one has to ask themselves if it's better to bet on the side of life.  Most librarians would most likely agree that it is better to save a life than watch it slip away.

Some public libraries have adopted the policy to only call 911 services in cases of emergency.  Some of the other practices put into place is security monitoring of patrons in the building and providing medical waste canisters in the bathroom to dispose of needles.  One would question why would a public library enable their patrons to "shoot up" in their restrooms.  As one librarian put it, it's not that the library is condoning the practice, it is merely recognizing that they can not stop patrons from doing this in the bathrooms.  By not providing it, needles can end up in discarded in trash, toilets or other unsanitary places where it is does more harm than good.    A better solution would be to have bathrooms monitored and security going through the stacks to discourage the opportunity to “shoot up”.  

This is topic is especially important now because yesterday, President Trump has signed into Law H.R.  6,  The Substance Use Disorder Prevention that  Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT).  This bill aims to help with the interdiction, surveillance and disruption of illegal drugs getting into the country.  One example of how this will happen is that the Postal Service will now be able to screen packages for Fentynol that are coming into the country by way of Mexico and China.   While this is good news and gives hope that that the flow of drugs into the country can be stopped, the addiction is still a serious problem. 

The answers to the Opioid problem is complex and does not seem likely that it will be solved over night.  Legal issues will continue to arise . As professional public servants,  librarians will have to be prepared for whatever cultural problems come through the library doors.  Homeless.   Latchkey children, drug addiction or whatever else awaits on the horizons.  For now, its a safe bet to say that rest of the story has not been played out yet on this topic.  

The Soloist.... One Joy From This Book.

It must be that I am living under a rock.  After reading the book The Soloist, I have had several people tell me that have read the book and seen the movie.  I have not noticed either the book or the movie until now.  With some things, it can be said that it is better late than never.  However,  with this book, it barely makes that statement true.  So having said that,  I will keep the blog brief  and just get right to the heart of the matter.

It was a surprise to this reader that the book turned out to be more about the reporter, Steve Lopez than it was about Nathaniel,  the soloist.  In summary, it was the musings of a 50 year old man who is worried about deadlines, mortgages and retirement.  As a side note, he stumbles upon a homeless man who is a musical genius, playing Beethoven on Skid Row.  More than once, the musings turn to complaints about how the reporter's time is consumed by his project, Nathaniel. What should have been the more compelling story, which is Nathaniel, is buried deep in the pages of the book.  If the reader is patient enough and curious enough about Nathaniel, they will read through the musings and find his story.  Mr. Lopez demonstrates how today's reporters are vastly different from the days of old.   In today's world, the reporter puts themselves in the story, thus taking the focus off of the subject and onto them.  This might have something to do with why newspapers circulation has dropped across the country.  But  I digress.

Nathaniel's story has brought this reader some joy.  It has opened up the curiosities about classical music.  Without even hearing Nathaniel play his bass or violin, the story has planted a seed to learn more about the works of Beethoven, Back and the endless list of other composers. When Nathaniel speaks about certain concertos or symphonies  in the book, it has caused me to go search for the music to hear it for myself.   It is a delightful piece of nugget from the story to learn about classical music.  Too bad the same can't be said about homelessness or mental illness. 

As for what to do about the homeless, well, Mr. Lopez was not really interested in that angle enough for the reader to really care or put thought into the matter. Which is sad because after reading the book, one would hope that it would bring inspiration to want to help.  It doesn't.  All that is lost with the author's  personal life. Perhaps with the book and movie deal,  he can relax about retirement and write another book.  This time, taking himself out of the picture, and actually engage the reader's mind  about this age old problem of homelessness and the mentally ill.