Anna Souannavong, Assistant Director of the Gates Public Library in Rochester, New York, perceived a need for discussion and education in her local community on opioid addiction and the widespread crisis happening across the region and throughout the nation. Her research lead to the discovery of widespread frustration of navigating both prevention and recovery services, but ultimately the misinformation of data and more particularly a misunderstanding of substance use disorder and its impact on our communities, neighbors, friends, and families.
Using her position as a librarian who specializes in programming, she responded to a sense of urgency to orchestrate a community forum that would present an opportunity for connection and a better informed public. Souannavong's thought processes for devising this program was to begin with a series of three panels comprised of select industries who are directly challenged by this crisis. To optimize the program's influence, coordination and hosting responsibilities fell under the auspices of partnered colleagues from local public libraries in her county whose library system functions as a consortium. This collaborative effort among library colleagues brought together a panel of medical experts (representing both physiology and psychology), law enforcement officials, and advocates in the addiction community. To maximize attendance, panels took place in three different niche locations over the course of the summer.
Souannavong shares, "My favorite aspect from all of this is that it presented public libraries in the eyes of community stakeholders and individuals as an impactful resource that educates the public. This program positioned the library in a way that our community is able to experience the value in organizational collaboration and how the library can assist in identifying communal needs and the mutual benefits to building those partnerships. That was my greatest achievement." The Gates Public Library and Souannavong specifically have been contacted by libraries across the U.S., and recognized for their work by local and state legislators.
Library Assistant Director Anna Souannavong currently serves on the Steering Committee for the project, Public Libraries Respond to the Opioid Crisis with their Communities. More information about the project and activities is available through WebJunction.