Library staff highlight harm-reduction practices, reader advisory and outreach from national conference

Summary

A library staff member reported on five conference sessions—harm reduction, bibliotherapy/reader's advisory, reading groups, outreach and libraries as social connectors—and described local steps such as hygiene supplies, sharps containers, and a grant application to establish harm-reduction themed collections across neighboring counties.

A library staff member who attended a recent national library conference briefed the Sweet Home Public Library Board on five sessions that the staff said were most relevant to local services: harm reduction, bibliotherapy/reader’s advisory, reading groups, outreach and marketing, and libraries and social connections.

“Harm reduction probably was the best presentation that we went to,” the staff member said, adding that presenters described harm reduction broadly — “a seat belt is harm reduction. Having fentanyl test strips is harm reduction and everything in between.” The staff member outlined current local practices that align with harm-reduction principles: providing hygiene products, snacks and menstrual supplies in restrooms, offering “boredom busters” for teens, and placing a sharps container in a bathroom.

On bibliotherap…

Library staff highlight harm-reduction practices, reader advisory and outreach from national conference

Summary

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