The Nevada Prevention Resource Center has been funded and certified by the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Agency (SAPTA, formerly BADA) since January 1998 to disseminate substance abuse information as a RADAR (Regional Alcohol and Drug Awareness Resource) Network Center. The NPRC established and maintains the State Substance Abuse Reference Library collection at UNR in the College of Education’s Nell J. Redfield Learning and Resource Center, a fully automated library. The collection has grown from 50 videotapes in 1998 to over 5,000 pieces of materials currently available for checkout. Materials include audio or video tapes, DVDs, books, CD-ROMs, journals, and kits. The library database can be viewed and searched online from anywhere in Nevada. The NPRC also provided materials and technical assistance to the substance abuse reference library collection at Great Basin College Library in Elko.
The NPRC is the longest continuously serving alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) administrative information dissemination program in Nevada. The NPRC has served as Nevada RADAR Network State Center since 2001 and has six appointed State Associate Centers. The NPRC provides coordination, orientation, technical assistance and leadership for all associate centers. The NPRC plans to continue to develop the RADAR Network in Nevada, by assisting prevention coalitions and regularly collaborating with other organizations and agencies as they provide a variety of services to their constituents.
The NPRC has grown steadily since 1998, when it received 446 requests and distributed 15,643 pieces of material. From July 1, 2005 through December 31, 2007, a total of 1,747 requests were received and 252,439 pieces of material distributed, providing an average of over 58 requests and over 8,400 pieces of material distributed per month. In response to the high demand statewide, the NPRC, in collaboration with CASAT in-house information technology staff, developed the new online Resource Ordering and Reporting (ROAR) system. ROAR was launched in February 2008 and is user friendly, has many new features, and accommodates a large number of users. The new system also allows for access to online and electronic resources, a must for today’s exceedingly electronic society.
The NPRC plans to continue to respond to the growing needs of Nevadans by providing access to the latest and most quality information and materials using new and exciting technologies that are increasingly in demand.
