Public Libraries
In this section:
For questions, please contact:
Michael Balkenhol
mab602@pitt.edu
Chris Pryor
pryorc@missouri.edu
Last update: October 2020
Substance Misuse Resources
MedlinePlus: Opioid Misuse and Addiction
MedlinePlus topic page on Opioid Misuse and Addiction.
MedlinePlus: Drug Use and Substance Abuse
MedlinePlus topic page on Drug Use and Substance Misuse.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): drugabuse.gov
NIDA is the lead federal agency supporting scientific research on drug use and its consequences. Learn the facts about the most commonly used drugs. Each drug page includes a brief overview, street and clinical names, the effects of the drug on the brain and body, statistics and trends, and relevant publications and articles written by NIDA researchers and scientists.
NIH Heal Initiative
The Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative, is an aggressive, trans-agency effort to speed scientific solutions to stem the national opioid public health crisis. Almost every NIH Institute and Center is accelerating research to address this public health emergency from all angles. The initiative is funding hundreds of projects nationwide.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism advances research on drinking and alcohol's impact on health.
Drug Info and Prescription Disposal
Disposal of Unused Medicines: What You Should Know
Resource from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on how to dispose of unused or expired drugs.
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day
In April and October every year, the U.S. Department of Justice reminds us to dispose properly of all unused prescriptions on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.
To locate a drop-off site, Google Maps has an enhanced feature to help you. Here's how to use it:
- On a computer, phone, or another device, visit google.com/maps.
- Type "drug disposal near me" in the search bar.
The tool will show nearby government, health care facility, and pharmacy drop-off locations. To learn more, visit New Maps Feature Makes Drug Disposal Easier and Safer.
Webinars and Staff Development
- Public Libraries Respond to the Opioid Crisis with Their Communities is a project of OCLC and PLA with resources for public libraries including news, webinars, and publications about opioid use in libraries.
- How Naloxone Saves Lives in Opioid Overdose Naloxone saves lives. This video from the National Library of Medicine reviews when naloxone is used, how it is administered, and the way it works. Also in Spanish: Cómo la naloxona salva vidas por sobredosis de opioids.
- Understanding the Opioid Crisis: Where do I begin? NNLM, August 2019
- Not Just Narcan: America’s opioid crisis forces U.S. public libraries to take a proactive approach to reduce stigma and harm Library Journal, May 2019
- Opioid Facts for Teens NIDA, available in Spanish
- Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Opioids NIDA for Teens, available in Spanish