The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued an updated standing order that adds Illinois public libraries to the list of locations that are permitted to keep a supply of opioid overdose reversal agents on hand and to allow trained staff to administer them in the event of a suspected overdose on their premises. The revised standing order will make it easier for libraries to comply with new provisions of the Illinois Local Library Act, which will take effect on January 1, 2026.

The order, which was signed by IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra, builds on his previous standing order from January 2024, which allowed schools to maintain a supply of reversal agents to help counteract the effects of an opioid overdose. Under the updated standing order, libraries can now obtain naloxone or nalmefene, FDA-approved opioid reversal agents, without a prescription. If someone on the premises shows signs of a possible overdose, the medication can be administered by a staffer who has undergone appropriate training.

“Medications like naloxone save lives, but only if they are readily available when needed,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director, Dr. Sameer, said in a news release. “With this updated standing order, community institutions like public libraries will be able to respond quickly and effectively to an overdose emergency.

Both naloxone and nalmefene are seen as safe and effective in counteracting an overdose. They can be administered safely to persons showing signs of overdose, even if that person has not actually overdosed on opioids.

Under the new provisions of the Local Library Act, libraries that are governed by the statute (primarily those falling under city, village, or township jurisdiction) are required to maintain a supply of opioid reversal agents. The standing order ensures their ability to comply with the law and allows all other public libraries to have a supply on hand if they choose to do so.

More information is available at the IDPH website under Illinois Opioid Overdose Reversal Agents Standardized Procedure.