About this talk
According to Chera Kowalski, “public libraries have always been more than just books.” Chera sees libraries as civic institutions that must be able to respond to the needs of their communities. And at Philadelphia’s McPherson Square Library, where Chera worked, responding to the needs of the community meant being trained and able to administer the overdose-reversing drug, Narcan. Watch Chera’s 2017 TEDMED Talk to learn what it was like to work at a public library at the center of Philadelphia’s opioid epidemic and why she believes that a library must serve as a judgement-free haven for the entire community.
About Chera Kowalski
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Chera Kowalski is a librarian and a powerful advocate for community health. Her work has helped redefine the role of public libraries in addressing social and health crises. While working as a librarian at a branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, she witnessed the effects of the opioid crisis firsthand. This experience led her to get trained in how to administer naloxone, a life-saving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose. This proactive step allowed her to save lives at her library and inspired a national movement. Driven by her personal story—as the daughter of parents who are in recovery—Chera has become a leading voice for training other librarians and community members to act as first responders. Her advocacy has helped change the idea of libraries from just places for books to vital community hubs that provide a safe and supportive space for everyone. Currently, she serves as Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the Free Library of Philadelphia, where she continues to champion this important work.
