ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — In the month since the announcement was made about Narcan kits being offered at St. Louis County Library branches, some have already reordered as they have run out.

That’s according to Kristen Sorth, director and CEO of the St. Louis County Library. She said Narcan is now available at all 20 branches for free. 

“The word definitely got out and we’ve had people come in and ask for the kits, and we’ve distributed them, so we’ve had to ask for additional kits,” Sorth said.

The new offering is an effort to combat the opioid epidemic and one of dozens of ways the St. Louis County Library is becoming the center of the community.

“I think before the pandemic and then definitely in the middle of the pandemic, we really realized that libraries were a center of community and we really focus on the needs of the surrounding community for our branches,” Sorth said. 

Another resource residents have been using since its launch are social workers, who are based in five library branches, such as Florissant Valley, Lewis & Clark, Natural Bridge, Rock Road and Weber Road.  

The program was fully staffed in June, and since then, more than 200 people have used the services of the social workers, according to Sorth. She said the library had been working on the concept for a while and is the first to offer it in St. Louis.

“We are interested in supporting our patrons that come into the branches looking for assistance and sometimes they need additional help with referrals or case management,” Sorth said. “Our employees are amazing and try to do everything they can for someone.”

“Having someone with the expertise to help with really specific requests and needs is a game changer for us. I just can’t imagine our system without social workers.”

People can book online to meet with a social worker and walk-ins are welcome too.

“Even though (the social workers are) based in specific branches, they have helped individuals from all over St. Louis County,” Sorth said.

“We really want to meet people where they are and a lot of times that’s in the library looking for assistance.”

For those who need documents notarized, notaries are available at all of the branches.

“People can come to our branches and get their documents notarized for free, which is pretty unusual in the world today because it usually costs to have your documents notarized,” Sorth said.

An innovative program that many branches offer is potty training in partnership with the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank. The workshop includes story time with children about potty training followed by a fun activity, and parents attend a class on children readiness and best strategies, according to Sorth.

Families leave with a potty seat, a step stool, a chart with stickers and diapers.

“There’s really not a lot of potty training workshops for families that I can recall or see,” Sorth said.

She mentioned initial classes were full and parents have been waitlisted. Additional workshops are set for November, December and the beginning of next year.

Florissant Valley, Lewis & Clark, Natural Bridge, Rock Road and Weber Road branches also offer diapers and period supplies, summer meals for children and after-school meals for children during the academic year.

Twelve applicants were selected to participate in the library’s Small Business Launchpad program for those who were formerly incarcerated. The program began in August and Sorth said it has been going well.

The library additionally has a full range of services for the justice-involved. A pamphlet with those services is given to people once they are released from the St. Louis County Justice Center along with a library card, Sorth said.

Florissant Valley and Lewis & Clark branches have a Tap in Center where people can receive legal assistance and connect to support services. 

The center is in partnership with many organizations, including the Missouri Public Defender’s Office and the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, according to Sorth.

St. Louis County residents can still apply for a free Chromebook with internet access through the library. The deadline is Oct. 1. 

So far, the library has already received more than 12,000 applications, according to Sorth. 

Those who live within the St. Louis County Library District are eligible to apply, especially those who lack equipment and services to access the internet.

Applicants will be notified by Oct. 6. Those who are awarded a Chromebook will be able to pick it up at the branch designed on their application.

Recipients can keep their Chromebooks indefinitely and do not need to return them to the library.

Earlier this month, the test program that puts congressional staffers into some St. Louis-area libraries to do constituent service work moved from a pilot phase into permanent practice. 

“Congress in your neighborhood” has caseworkers in the Lewis and Clark, Rock Road and Natural Bridge branches, as well as in the St. Louis City Library’s Walnut Park and Carpenter branches.

At no cost, Congressional offices can help constituents with issues they have with the federal government, from problems with accessing VA benefits to passports.

All programs and resources are free and do not require a library card. 

In 2024, the library will have three new school bookmobiles thanks to three separate sponsors, according to Sorth. Bookmobiles travel to public and some private schools for students to check out books.

“We’ve had bookmobile service for decades at the St. Louis County Library,” Sorth said. 

“Our bookmobiles are old and need to be replaced, so we have three new ones that have been ordered and are coming, so that’s pretty exciting to be able to roll out new bookmobiles at school districts.”

Construction of the new Clark Family Branch also will be completed next spring. The St. Louis County Library and the St. Louis County Library Foundation received $4 million donated by the Robert G. Clark Family toward the new library branch.

It will replace the former headquarters building at 1640 S. Lindbergh Boulevard in Ladue.

Expected to be the biggest branch, the two-story, 74,000-square-foot building will feature an 800-seat auditorium; a dynamic children’s space with built-in towns and interactive learning activities; a small business center; a teen’s space with a green screen, a recording studio and more; 16 study rooms; a genealogy center; meeting rooms; a wooden patio area and walking trail; and more.

“We’re really excited about that branch,” Sorth said.

The project began after the branch closed to the public in May 2022.

Over the past 10 years, all of the library branches have been going through renovations and replacements, according to Sorth.

She said branches have become more dynamic and transparent with lots of glass, comfortable seating, fun children and teen spaces, added a quiet room and study rooms, bright lighting, laptop bars, vending machines, and some have community gardens.

“We want the buildings to be a place where people want to come and feel comfortable spending their entire day there if they want to,” Sorth said.