ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chera Kowalski - Librarian
Chera Kowalski is championing the transformation of her library into a safe, responsive space for the community it serves.

Why you should listen

Chera Kowalski is revolutionizing the way public resources are meeting the needs of the communities they serve. As the Adult Teen Librarian at the Free Library of Philadelphia’s McPherson Square Branch, this often means saving lives. 

After witnessing drug overdoses firsthand at her library and the nearby park, Kowalski volunteered to receive training in overdose defense through Prevention Point Philadelphia and now advocates for training for other librarians and community members to learn how to administer naloxone -- a life-saving drug that reverses the effects of opioids -- to people in distress. Motivated by her personal experiences as the daughter of parents who have maintained recovery from opioid use, Kowalski is transforming her library into a safe, responsive space for her community that is able to help people with whatever they need in a supportive, judgment-free way. Kowalski is a graduate of Temple University's College of Liberal Arts and the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences.

More profile about the speaker
Chera Kowalski | Speaker | TED.com
TEDMED 2017

Chera Kowalski: The critical role librarians play in the opioid crisis

切拉 · 科瓦尔斯基: 图书管理员在毒品危机中扮演的重要角色

Filmed:
1,273,110 views

一直以来,公共图书馆不仅仅只是和书有关——它们还为社区提供支持,而在阿片类药物盛行的当下,它们的这一使命也面临一种新的紧迫需求。在目睹自己工作的地方,费城一家图书馆里有人吸毒过量后,切拉·科瓦尔斯基学会如何施用纳洛酮,一种解除毒品不良反应的药物,她还用这种药救了顾客的命。通过讲述自身经历,她分享身处阿片类药物危机前线每天的真实生活,并提倡每个人都寻找新方法来保持社区安全健康。
- Librarian
Chera Kowalski is championing the transformation of her library into a safe, responsive space for the community it serves. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

当你走进社区的公共图书馆时,
00:12
When you walk步行 into your
neighborhood邻里 public上市 library图书馆,
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00:15
you expect期望 the librarian图书管理员
to help you find your next下一个 favorite喜爱 book
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你期待着图书管理员
帮你找到另一本你最爱的书
00:19
or some accurate准确 information信息
on a topic话题 at interest利益.
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或对你感兴趣的话题
查到一些准确信息。
00:22
You don't probably大概 expect期望 the librarian图书管理员
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你可能不希望图书管理员出现时
00:25
to come running赛跑 out from behind背后
the reference参考 desk with Narcan纳尔坎,
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带着Narcan(注:一种急救药)
从咨询台后面跑出来,
00:28
ready准备 to revive复活 someone有人
overdosing过量 on heroin海洛因 or fentanyl芬太尼.
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准备去抢救某个
过量吸食海洛因或芬太尼的人。
但是这种事的确发生在某些图书馆里。
00:34
But this is happening事件 at some libraries图书馆.
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00:37
Public上市 libraries图书馆 have always been
about community社区 support支持
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一直以来,
公共图书馆通过各种服务和项目
00:40
with all kinds of services服务 and programs程式
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提供社区支持,
00:42
from assisting协助 with job工作 seeking efforts努力
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从协助求职者找工作、
00:45
to locating定位 resources资源 for voter选民 rights权利
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到为保证选民权利而寻找资源、
00:47
to providing提供 free自由 meals
to kids孩子 and teens青少年 even.
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到甚至为孩子和青少年提供免费用餐。
00:51
But what we think of as community社区 support支持
takes on new urgency
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但当你处于鸦片类药物过量危机,
00:55
when you're in the middle中间
of an opioid阿片 and overdose过量 crisis危机.
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我们所说的社区支持
就面临一种新的紧迫需求。
00:59
I work at the McPherson麦克弗森 Square广场 Library图书馆
of the Free自由 Library图书馆 of Philadelphia费城.
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我在费城免费图书馆下属的
麦克弗森广场分馆工作。
01:03
It's located位于 in Kensington肯辛顿,
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它位于肯辛顿,
01:05
one of the lowest最低 income收入
communities社区 in Philadelphia费城,
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费城收入水平最低的社区之一,
01:08
with a long history历史 of being存在 isolated孤立
from resources资源 and opportunity机会.
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那里长期财力匮乏,
没有发展机会。
正因为如此,
01:13
And because of that,
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01:14
it has been the center中央 to the city's城市的
drug药物 trade贸易 and drug药物 use for decades几十年.
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几十年来,肯辛顿一直都是
费城的毒品交易和毒品吸食中心。
01:20
And so inside the neighborhood邻里,
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所以在这个社区,
01:22
our library图书馆 is nestled依偎 inside of a park公园,
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我们的图书馆落脚在一个公园里,
01:25
which哪一个 has unfortunately不幸
garnered囊括 a reputation声誉
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但不幸的是,
它已经成为远近闻名的“毒品窝”,
01:28
for being存在 a place地点 to find and use drugs毒品,
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人们到这里寻找和吸食毒品,
01:30
especially特别 heroin海洛因,
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尤其是海洛因,
01:32
out in the open打开,
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完全公开,不加遮掩,
01:34
putting us and the community社区
in direct直接 contact联系
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这让我们还有社区居民
每天都直接接触到
01:38
with the drug药物 trade贸易
and use on a daily日常 basis基础.
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毒品的交易和使用。
01:41
And so inside the library图书馆,
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所以在图书馆里,
01:43
it is routine常规 to see people
visibly明显地 intoxicated on opioids阿片类药物:
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经常能看到有人出现
鸦片类药物中毒的典型症状:
双目紧闭,身体抽搐。
01:46
eyes眼睛 closing关闭, body身体 swaying摇曳 slowly慢慢地.
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01:49
It is routine常规 for me
to ask them if they are OK,
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我每次都要去问他们还行不行,
01:52
but at the same相同 time remind提醒 them
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同时也提醒他们,
01:54
if they can't keep their eyes眼睛 open打开,
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如果他们不能保持清醒,
01:56
they have to go.
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就必须离开这里。
01:57
It is routine常规 for our volunteer志愿者, Teddy泰迪熊,
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而对我们的志愿者泰迪来说,
捡起图书馆内和公园里
大量的废弃针头已经是固定工作。
02:01
to pick up dozens许多 of discarded丢弃 needles
on our property属性 and throughout始终 the park公园.
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02:07
And it is normal正常 for kids孩子
to come into the library图书馆
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孩子们会走进图书馆,
02:10
to tell me or our guard守卫, Sterling英镑,
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对我或者我们的保安斯特林说,
02:13
that someone有人 is outside using运用,
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有人在外面吸毒,
02:15
which哪一个 typically一般 means手段 finding发现
someone有人 injecting注射 on our front面前 steps脚步,
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这样说通常是指他们发现
有人在图书馆门口台阶上、
长椅上、
02:19
benches长椅
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02:20
or near the building建造,
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或是大楼附近注射毒品,
02:21
then asking them to move移动 along沿
because kids孩子 see them.
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然后我们会要求这些人赶快离开,
因为孩子们看到他们了。
02:25
And it is normal正常 for the community社区
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对社区居民来说,
02:27
to see people in various各个 states状态
of intoxication and withdrawal退出,
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看到人们处于吸毒和戒毒中的各种状态、
看到人们买卖毒品、
02:31
to see people buying购买 and selling销售,
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02:34
and to see people act法案 and react应对 violently猛烈.
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看到人们的激烈行为和反抗
都是很正常的。
02:38
I'm not sharing分享 this
to sensationalize危言耸听 Kensington肯辛顿.
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我分享这些不是为了耸人听闻,
夸大肯辛顿的情况,
02:42
I'm sharing分享 this because
this is the reality现实 of a community社区
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我分享这些,
因为这就是一个社区的现状,
02:46
that is constantly经常 striving努力
to move移动 forward前锋,
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这个社区一直在努力向未来发展,
但是受一些因素限制,
例如结构性种族主义、
02:50
but due应有 to factors因素 like structural结构 racism种族主义,
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02:52
urban城市的 segregation隔离,
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城市隔离、
02:54
the cyclical周期性 nature性质 of poverty贫穷,
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贫穷的周期性、
挫折的周期性等——
02:56
of trauma外伤 --
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02:57
the community社区 has inequitable不公 access访问
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社区居民无法公平地获得
03:00
to education教育, health健康 care关心,
employment雇用 and more.
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教育和医疗资源、工作机会、
以及其他更多东西。
03:04
And this is also what it's like
when the drug药物 trade贸易 and use
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而毒品交易和使用
对社区生活的各个方面
03:08
affects影响 every一切 aspect方面
of life in the neighborhood邻里.
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也会带来这样的不良影响。
03:12
And the opioid阿片 epidemic疫情
has only amplified放大 that stress强调.
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鸦片类药物的盛行
更是加剧了这种影响。
03:16
When I was hired雇用
by the Free自由 Library图书馆 in 2013,
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当我在2013年被免费图书馆雇用时,
03:19
I specifically特别 chose选择 to work at McPherson麦克弗森
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我特意选择去麦克弗森工作,
03:22
because I understand理解 what it's like
to grow增长 up in an environment环境
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因为我知道生长在一个
日常生活被滥用药物
主导的环境里是什么样,
03:25
where substance物质 use disorder紊乱
shapes形状 the everyday每天,
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我想利用那些个人经历
03:29
and I wanted to use
those personal个人 experiences经验
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指导我的工作。
03:31
as a guide指南 for my work.
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03:34
But before I get to that,
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但是在说那个以前,
03:35
I want to share分享 what it was like
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我想分享亲眼见证
03:37
to witness见证 this epidemic疫情
grow增长 in Kensington肯辛顿.
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毒品在肯辛顿日益盛行是什么感觉。
03:41
Like many许多 other communities社区,
we were just not prepared准备.
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跟其他许多社区居民一样,
我们还没准备好。
我们开始去留意
我们看到的那些身份证:
03:44
We began开始 to take notice注意
of IDshdr we were seeing眼看:
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03:46
addresses地址 from nearby附近 and upstate北部 counties
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上面的地址从周边或州北边的县,
03:49
and then slowly慢慢地 out-of-state状态外 ones那些.
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慢慢扩大到州以外的县。
03:52
People from Arkansas阿肯色州,
Ohio俄亥俄州, South Carolina卡罗来纳州, Alabama阿拉巴马
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来自阿肯色州、俄亥俄州、
南卡罗来纳州、阿拉巴马州的人
03:56
coming未来 to Philadelphia费城 for cheap低廉 heroin海洛因.
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为了廉价海洛因来到费城。
04:00
People began开始 to linger萦绕 longer
and longer in our public上市 restroom卫生间,
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人们开始在我们的公共厕所长时间逗留,
04:04
causing造成 us to pay工资
more attention注意 to the restroom卫生间
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因为那里可以吸食刚买到的毒品,
04:06
than to our daily日常 responsibilities责任
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如此一来,我们对厕所的关注
04:08
because it was an accessible无障碍 place地点
to use drugs毒品 just purchased购买.
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比对日常工作的关注都要多。
04:12
One day our toilet厕所 clogged堵塞
so badly in the restroom卫生间,
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有一天,厕所里的马桶严重堵塞,
04:16
we were forced被迫 to close
our library图书馆 for two days
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我们被迫闭馆两天,
04:19
because the culprit罪魁祸首 of the clog阻塞
was discarded丢弃 needles.
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而导致堵塞的罪魁祸首就是废弃针头。
04:22
For a while prior to that incident事件,
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在那次事件不久前,
04:25
we had been asking for a sharps锐器
container容器 for the restroom卫生间,
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我们已经申请给厕所配一个锐器盒,
事件发生后,
04:28
and after that,
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04:29
the library图书馆 administration行政
quickly很快 approved批准 installing安装 one
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图书管行政处很快就批准了安装申请,
04:32
along沿 with hiring招聘 bathroom浴室 monitors显示器.
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同时还批准租用厕所监控器。
04:36
And as the weather天气 warmed温暖,
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而随着天气转暖,
04:38
we struggled挣扎 to respond响应.
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我们也在尽全力应对。
04:40
People began开始 camping露营 out
in the park公园 for days, weeks.
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人们开始连日连周地在公园里露营。
04:44
You could walk步行 outside
on a sunny晴朗, warm day
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如果在一个暖和的晴天走出图书馆,
04:46
to find multiple groups of people
in various各个 states状态 of intoxication
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你会发现一群群形态各异的吸毒者,
04:51
and children孩子 playing播放 in between之间 them.
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孩子们就在他们中间玩耍。
04:54
The amount of needles collected
by Teddy泰迪熊 on a monthly每月一次 basis基础 skyrocketed暴涨
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泰迪捡到的针头数量按月急剧增长,
04:59
from 100 to 300 to 500 to 800,
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从100,到300、500、800、
再到1000多,
05:03
to over 1,000,
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05:06
with many许多 found发现 on our front面前 steps脚步
and the playground操场.
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其中很多都是在
图书馆前门台阶和游乐场发现的。
05:11
Then there were the overdoses过量.
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再就是吸毒过量。
05:14
So many许多 occurred发生 outside in the park公园,
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很多都发生在馆外面的公园里,
05:18
some inside the library图书馆.
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还有一些发生在图书馆里。
05:21
Sterling英镑, our guard守卫, would spend his time
walking步行 in and out of the building建造
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我们的保安斯特林,
会花时间在大楼里外
以及整个公园里巡视,
05:25
and throughout始终 the park公园,
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05:27
constantly经常 making制造 sure everyone大家 was safe安全,
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时刻确保每个人都没事,
05:30
because at times,
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因为时不时地,
05:32
our fear恐惧 of having someone有人
overdose过量 and die came来了 close.
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我们就会担心有人吸毒过量而死。
05:36
One overdose过量 in particular特定
occurred发生 after school学校,
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有一例吸毒过量很特别,
是发生在放学后,
05:39
so the library图书馆 was full充分 of kids孩子,
noise噪声 and commotion骚动.
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当时图书馆里都是孩子,
叽叽喳喳、吵吵闹闹。
而在嘈杂声中,
05:42
And in all of that,
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05:44
we heard听说 the thud轰的一声
from inside the public上市 restroom卫生间.
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我们听到从公共厕所里传来砰的一声。
05:47
When we opened打开 the door,
we found发现 a man on the floor地板, unresponsive反应 迟钝.
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我们推开门,看到一个男人
躺在地上,失去了知觉。
他在众目睽睽之下被拖了出来——
05:50
He was pulled out
in plain sight视力 of everyone大家 --
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05:52
kids孩子, teens青少年, adults成年人, families家庭.
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小孩子、青少年、大人、一家人,
每个人都看着他。
05:55
Someone有人 on staff员工 called 911,
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工作人员有的拨打了911,
05:57
someone有人 else其他 escorted护送 the kids孩子
and teens青少年 downstairs楼下,
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有的疏散小孩子和青少年下楼,
06:00
somebody went to flag down
the ambulance救护车 in the park公园.
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有的去公园里拦急救车,
06:04
And the rest休息 of us --
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剩下的——
06:06
we just waited等待.
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就在现场等。
06:08
This had become成为 our overdose过量 drill钻头
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这已经成为我们的吸毒过量演习,
06:10
because at the time,
it was all we could do.
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因为在这种情况下,
我们能做的就是这些。
06:13
So we waited等待 and we watched看着
this man lose失去 air空气 --
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我们等啊等,
眼看着这个男人失去呼吸——
06:16
seize抢占 up.
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全身僵硬。
06:17
He was dying垂死.
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他快死了。
06:19
I don't know how many许多 of you
have witnessed目击 an overdose过量 on opioids阿片类药物,
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我不知道你们中有多少人
亲眼见过鸦片类药物过量,
太恐怖了,
06:23
but it's horrific可怕的
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06:25
because you know the gasping喘气 for air空气,
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因为你知道呼吸困难,
脸上失去血色,
06:27
the loss失利 of color颜色 in someone's谁家 face面对,
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06:30
is a timer计时器 running赛跑 down
on the chances机会 of this person surviving幸存.
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意味着这个人的生存时间所剩无几。
06:35
But luckily for this man,
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但是这个男人够幸运,
06:36
the ambulance救护车 arrived到达
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救护车来了,
06:38
and he received收到 a dose剂量
of naloxone纳洛酮 through通过 injection注射.
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他接受了一剂纳洛酮注射。
06:42
And I remember记得 he jolted震动
like he was electrocuted触电,
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我记得他就像被电击一样突然苏醒,
06:45
and he pulled the needle out,
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接着他拔出针头,
06:47
and he told the paramedics医护人员 to back off.
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让急救人员后退。
06:50
And then he stood站在 up, and he walked out.
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然后他站起来走了。
06:54
And we --
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而我们——
06:55
we went back to work
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继续回去工作,
06:56
because people were still asking
for time on the computers电脑,
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因为还有人在请求使用电脑,
07:00
kids孩子 still needed需要 help with their homework家庭作业
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孩子们的家庭作业还需要帮助,
07:02
and this was our job工作 --
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而这才是我们的工作——
07:03
our purpose目的.
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我们的目的。
07:07
I think that incident事件 stays入住 with me
because of the waiting等候.
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我认为那次事件让我难忘是因为等待。
等待让我感觉无助。
07:11
It made制作 me feel helpless无助.
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07:13
And it was that feeling感觉 of helplessness无奈
that reminded提醒 me so well of my childhood童年.
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那种无助感让我回想起自己的童年。
07:18
Before I was born天生,
both of my parents父母 began开始 using运用 heroin海洛因.
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在我出生前,
我的父母就开始吸海洛因。
07:22
It made制作 our lives生活 chaotic混乱的 and unstable不稳定:
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把我们的生活搞得
一团混乱,动荡不安:
07:24
promises许诺 being存在 made制作 and constantly经常 broken破碎,
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许下承诺,又不停的违背承诺,
07:27
their fighting战斗,
the weight重量 of their secret秘密 --
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他们争吵,
他们吸毒这个秘密——
07:29
the weight重量 of our secret秘密 kept不停 so much
so-called所谓 "normal正常" out of our lives生活.
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我们家有人吸毒这个秘密
让我们的生活失去所谓的“正常”。
07:35
Every一切 time we'd星期三 be dropped下降 off
at our grandparent's祖父母的 house,
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每次我们被丢在祖父母家,
07:38
I'd be stuck卡住 on the thought
that I was never going to see them again.
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我都固执地以为
以后再也见不到他们了。
07:41
Every一切 time we'd星期三 be left in a car汽车,
at a house, at a store商店,
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每次我们被丢在
车里、房子里、商店里,
07:45
I'd cry.
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我都会哭。
07:47
And every一切 time I saw those El萨尔瓦多 tracks轨道 --
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每次我从汽车后座——
07:49
the same相同 ones那些 I take
to work now to McPherson麦克弗森 --
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看到那些EL型轨道——
跟我现在去麦克弗森上班的线路一样,
07:52
from the backseat后座 of a car汽车,
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07:54
I'd be angry愤怒,
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我都会愤怒,
07:56
because even kids孩子 know
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因为连小孩子都知道
07:58
when their parents父母
are trying to score得分了 drugs毒品.
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什么时候他们的父母要去买毒品。
08:02
There was so little I could do
to control控制 what was going on around me,
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我对身边发生的一切都无法控制,
08:06
that that feeling感觉 of helplessness无奈
was overwhelming压倒.
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那种无助感极其强烈。
08:09
I struggled挣扎 in school学校, struggled挣扎 to read,
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我上学和读书都很吃力,
08:12
I was prone易于 to anger愤怒 and depression萧条.
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我容易发怒和沮丧。
08:14
When I was 11 years年份 old,
I started开始 smoking抽烟,
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11岁时,我开始抽烟,
08:16
which哪一个 shortly不久 after led to my own拥有
experiences经验 with drugs毒品 and alcohol.
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这导致之后不久
我又开始滥用药物和酗酒。
08:21
I convinced相信 myself that my parents'父母' past过去
would be my future未来.
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我说服自己相信
我父母的过去就是我的未来。
08:26
But eventually终于 both of my parents父母
entered进入 recovery复苏
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但是最终他们都戒掉了毒瘾,
08:28
and maintained保持 recovery复苏 from opioid阿片 use.
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而且再也没碰过鸦片类药物。
08:31
And their strength强度 and their commitment承诺
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他们的意志和承诺
08:33
provided提供 support支持 and stability稳定性
for me and my siblings兄弟姐妹,
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给了我和我的兄弟姐妹
支持与坚定信念,
08:37
and it was those personal个人 experiences经验
that brought me to McPherson麦克弗森.
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正是这些个人经历让我来到麦克弗森。
08:41
Choosing选择 to be a librarian图书管理员
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选择做一名图书管理员,
08:43
and choosing选择 to be at McPherson麦克弗森
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选择来到麦克弗森图书馆,
08:45
was me letting出租 go
of that feeling感觉 of helplessness无奈
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就是为了释放我心里的那种无助感,
想方设法去帮助支持他人。
08:48
and finding发现 ways方法
to be supportive支持 to others其他.
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08:51
And one way to provide提供 support支持
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而提供支持的一种方式
08:53
was learning学习 how to administer管理 Narcan纳尔坎.
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就是学会使用Narcan.
08:56
Public上市 libraries图书馆 respond响应
to the needs需求 of their communities社区,
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公共图书馆要响应社区的需求,
09:00
and not knowing会心 how to utilize利用 Narcan纳尔坎
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而不知道如何使用Narcan
09:02
was a disservice帮倒忙
to the needs需求 of our community社区.
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则会给我们的社区帮倒忙。
09:05
We were on the frontlines前线
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我们身处一线,
09:07
and desperately拼命 needed需要
access访问 to this lifesaving救生 tool工具.
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迫切需要用到这种救生装置。
09:11
So finally最后 in late晚了 February二月 of 2017,
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所以在2017年2月底,
09:14
after much advocating主张,
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经过多方倡议,
09:16
we finally最后 received收到 training训练
from Prevention预防 Point Philadelphia费城
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我们终于参与了费城预防点的培训,
09:20
and about a month of so later后来,
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在大概一个月后,
09:21
I utilized利用 Narcan纳尔坎 for the first time
to save保存 someone's谁家 life.
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我第一次用Narcan救了一个人的命。
09:25
It was after school学校 again,
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那还是在放学后,
09:26
and Teddy泰迪熊 came来了 into the library图书馆
187
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泰迪走进图书馆
09:28
and said someone有人 was overdosing过量
on a front面前 bench长凳.
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说前门外的长椅上有人吸毒过量。
09:30
Someone有人 on staff员工 called 911 again,
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工作人员再一次拨打了911,
09:32
and I grabbed抓起 the Narcan纳尔坎 kit套件.
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而我抓起了Narcan急救装置。
09:34
The woman女人 was barely仅仅 in her 20s
and barely仅仅 breathing呼吸.
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那个女人只有20出头,
几乎停止呼吸。
09:38
Her friend朋友 was frantically疯狂
slapping打耳光 her in the face面对
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她的朋友当时正狂扇她的脸,
09:40
in hopes希望 of reviving复兴 her.
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希望可以以此唤醒她。
09:42
I administered管理 the Narcan纳尔坎 nasally纳萨利,
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我朝她鼻子里喷了Narcan,
09:44
and thankfully感激地 she came来了 to.
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然后,谢天谢地,她醒过来了。
09:46
But before the ambulance救护车 arrived到达,
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但是在急救车来之前,
09:48
she and her friend朋友 ran off.
197
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她和她的朋友就跑了。
09:51
And when I finally最后 turned转身 around,
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当我终于转过身时,
09:53
I saw the kids孩子 --
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我看到孩子们——
09:55
kids孩子 that come into the library图书馆
on a daily日常 basis基础,
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那些每天都来图书馆的孩子们,
09:57
some that I have known已知 for years年份 --
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有些我都认识好几年了的孩子们——
10:00
standing常设 on the steps脚步 of the building建造.
202
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站在大楼的台阶上。
10:02
They saw everything.
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他们看到了一切。
10:04
And they didn't seem似乎
like they were visibly明显地 upset烦乱 or in shock休克,
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他们看起来并没有不安或震惊。
10:08
and so I walked into the building建造,
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我走回了图书馆,
10:10
right into our workroom车间, and I cried哭了.
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走进了办公室,然后我哭了。
10:12
I cried哭了 partly部分地 from the shock休克
of what just happened发生
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我哭,某种程度上是因为
还没从刚发生的一切缓过来,
10:15
because I never thought
I'd be saving保存 anybody's任何人的 life ever,
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2800
因为我从没想过我会救了一个人的命,
10:19
but I mostly大多 cried哭了 because of the kids孩子.
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1880
但是我哭,主要还是因为这些孩子。
10:21
This is their normal正常.
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这是他们生活的常态。
10:24
This is the community's社区 normal正常.
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这是社区的常态。
10:26
This is a catastrophic灾难性的 normal正常,
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这是一种灾难性的常态。
10:29
and in that moment时刻,
213
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在那一刻,
10:31
I was forced被迫 to confront面对 once一旦 again
that this should never be normal正常,
214
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3736
我再次被迫认识到,
类似的事情应该永不显得稀松平常。
10:34
and as with my childhood童年,
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而在我的童年时代,
10:36
when you're in it, you just accept接受 it.
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当你遇到这种事,
你只要接受就好了。
10:39
The opioid阿片 epidemic疫情
is not just about those living活的
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鸦片类药物的盛行不仅仅关乎
那些有鸦片类药物使用障碍的人,
10:42
with opioid阿片 use disorder紊乱
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10:44
because the reach达到 of the epidemic疫情
goes well beyond those living活的 with this
219
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因为这种盛行影响到的范围
远远超出了那些吸毒者
还有他们的家庭。
10:48
and their families家庭.
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10:49
It impacts影响 the entire整个 community社区.
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它影响整个社区。
10:52
Kensington肯辛顿 was a community社区
in crisis危机 before this
222
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肯辛顿在毒品盛行前也曾处于危机,
10:56
for reasons原因 that are endemic流行
and intertwined交织,
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因为一些特有的、错综复杂的原因,
任何一个熟悉这里的人都能想到原因:
10:59
and anyone任何人 familiar
with the neighborhood邻里 can think of why:
224
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11:02
racial种族 disparities差距,
225
650080
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种族差异、
11:03
failure失败 of local本地 and federal联邦 government政府
to properly正确 fund基金 schools学校,
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当地以及联邦政府
未能合理筹资修建学校、
11:08
lack缺乏 of economic经济 opportunity机会.
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缺乏经济发展机会。
11:10
And what we're trying to do at McPherson麦克弗森
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而我们试图在麦克弗森做的
就是设法帮助社区脱离困境。
11:13
is find ways方法 to support支持
this community社区 out of crisis危机.
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4000
11:17
And perhaps也许 now, because of the epidemic疫情,
230
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也许现在,因为毒品盛行,
11:20
more people are paying付款
attention注意 to Kensington肯辛顿.
231
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2216
越来越多的人正在关注肯辛顿。
11:22
But regardless而不管 of that,
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但不管怎么样,
11:24
at McPherson麦克弗森,
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在麦克弗森,
11:25
we will continue继续 to do what we can
with the resources资源 we have
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我们将继续利用现有资源
做力所能及的事
11:29
and we will continue继续 to provide提供
whatever随你 help we can
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也将继续提供
任何我们能提供的帮助,
11:32
in hopes希望 of keeping保持 our community社区
safe安全 and healthy健康
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希望以此保持我们的社区平安、健康,
11:35
because public上市 libraries图书馆
have always been more than just books图书.
237
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因为一直以来,
公共图书馆不仅仅只是与书有关,
11:40
We are physical物理 shelter庇护,
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我们还是一个实实在在的收容所、
11:42
a classroom课堂,
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1200
一间教室,
11:44
a safe安全 haven避风港,
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一个安全的避风港、
11:46
a lunch午餐 room房间,
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一间午餐室、
11:47
a resource资源 hub枢纽
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1976
一个资源中心、
并且是的,
11:49
and yes,
243
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11:51
even a lifeline生命线.
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甚至还是一条生命线。
11:52
Thank you.
245
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谢谢。
11:53
(Applause掌声)
246
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(鼓掌)
Translated by Janice ZHU
Reviewed by Homer Li

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chera Kowalski - Librarian
Chera Kowalski is championing the transformation of her library into a safe, responsive space for the community it serves.

Why you should listen

Chera Kowalski is revolutionizing the way public resources are meeting the needs of the communities they serve. As the Adult Teen Librarian at the Free Library of Philadelphia’s McPherson Square Branch, this often means saving lives. 

After witnessing drug overdoses firsthand at her library and the nearby park, Kowalski volunteered to receive training in overdose defense through Prevention Point Philadelphia and now advocates for training for other librarians and community members to learn how to administer naloxone -- a life-saving drug that reverses the effects of opioids -- to people in distress. Motivated by her personal experiences as the daughter of parents who have maintained recovery from opioid use, Kowalski is transforming her library into a safe, responsive space for her community that is able to help people with whatever they need in a supportive, judgment-free way. Kowalski is a graduate of Temple University's College of Liberal Arts and the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences.

More profile about the speaker
Chera Kowalski | Speaker | TED.com