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So much learning happens through play. Play can help children practice language, motor skills, problem-solving skills and social skills. Many of our libraries may already include free play as part of our storytime programs for young children to support this growth. We may not realize it, though, but there are many barriers to play that exist for children with special needs.  Some of the kids in our communities may not be equipped with the skills to play without accommodations or support. So it’s important that we develop strategies to be inclusive and enable access to play for all.

Coming up with accessible and inclusive play-based activities and games for storytime programs can be a challenge if you do not have a background in occupational therapy or special education. Thankfully, there are a variety of up to date and valuable resources at our disposal to help us learn about inclusive play-based programs.  Check out this professional literature–or interlibrary loan it from your nearest library–to learn more!

Early Intervention Games: Fun, Joyful Ways to Develop Social and Motor Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum or Sensory Processing Disorders by Barbara Sher

Including Families of Children with Special Needs by Carrie Banks

Social Skills Activities for Special Children by Darlene Mannix

The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, Revised Edition: Activities for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder by Carol Kranowitz

Playing, Laughing, and Learning with Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Practical Resource of Play Ideas for Parents and Carers by Julia Moor

Inclusive Play: Practical Strategies for Children from Birth to Eight by Theresa Casey

101 Games and Activities for Children with Autism, Asperger’s and Sensory Processing Disorders by Tara Delaney

Renee Grassi, LSSPCC Committee Member

The post Professional Resources for Learning About Inclusive Play appeared first on ALSC Blog.

The Picture Communication Symbols ©1981-2015 by DynaVox Mayer-Johnson LLC. Used with permission.

Is your library looking to expand services to patrons with autism, but you are in need of funding to get your project started? Look no further than this new grant opportunity “Autism Welcome Here: Library Programs, Services and More.”

This grant honors the groundbreaking work of Libraries and Autism co-founder Meg Kolaya for her contributions in promoting inclusion, connecting libraries and the autism community, and bringing awareness of the needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families to the library community.  This opportunity is funded by Barbara Klipper, librarian and author of Programming for Children and Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ALA Editions, 2014) and The Secret Rules of Social Networking (AAPC Publishing, 2015), a one-of-a-kind resource for teens and young adults with ASD or other social skills deficits that outlines the unstated rules that guide relationships in the real world and online as well.

Any type of library can apply and the proposal can fund projects and services for any age group. Applicants may propose to initiate a new, creative program or service, bring an already-existing, successful program or service to their library for the first time, or enhance a program or service they already offer.  Each year, a total of $5,000.00 will be awarded. Depending on the applications received, one grant for the full amount or multiple grants for smaller amounts totaling $5,000.00 may be awarded. All programs or services proposed must benefit people with autism or their families, directly or indirectly. Funds may be used to hire a trainer to present a workshop, to buy program materials, to pay for staff, etc.

What to make sure that your grant has what it takes to be selected? Here are things to keep in mind when drafting your application:

• Make sure the project is clearly described and well thought out.
• Don’t forget to garner institutional support for the program or service.
• Include people with autism, family members or other community stakeholders as involved members in the development and/or implementation of the project.
• Develop your project or program so that it would be replicable in other communities.
• Base your program or service on an understanding of the needs of people with autism and/or best practices in working with this population.
• Your service or program should be sustainable after the end of the grant period.

The grant period is now open, so please apply online here! Completed applications must be submitted by December 1, 2015. The winner(s) will be notified by March 1, 2016. The grant funding period is April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017.

Looking for other grant opportunities to serve other special populations? Don’t forget about ALSC/Candlewick Press “Light the Way” Grant. Stay tuned–2016 applications will open later in the fall of 2015!

The post Announcing New Grant! Autism Welcome Here: Library Programs, Services, and More appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Who Are We?

We are ALSC’s Library Service to Special Population Children and Their Caregivers (LSSPCC) Committee.  We are accessibility and inclusion advocates who care deeply about the needs of our entire library community, especially special population children and their caregivers.

What Do We Do?

We discover and disseminate information about what libraries have to offer these special populations.  We develop and maintain guidelines for selection of useful and relevant materials.  We also help prepare the next generation of librarians and library workers by creating and providing resources to serve their communities more inclusively.

What Is The LSSPCC Toolkit?

The LSSPCC Committee has worked hard to develop a brand new resource for librarians and library works to develop or enhance your knowledge about serving special populations.  Launched earlier this year, this easy-to-use Toolkit for Librarians and Library Workers is available FREE online and can be downloaded or saved as a PDF file.  Whether you are just getting started learning about serving special populations of children and their families or want to brush up on the latest resources, this toolkit is for you!

What Special Populations Does the Toolkit Cover?

This toolkit offers a wide variety of information about serving many different types of groups in your library community, including homeschoolers, spanish-speaking families, LGBTQ families, children with autism, children with incarcerated parents, children with print disabilities, and more.  While this is by no means an exhaustive list of special populations that are served in all of our library communities, it’s a great place to start.

Why Is This Toolkit Useful?

In this toolkit, you will find a brief introduction in each section, which will provide librarians and library workers with context and background information needed before beginning to serve these groups in your community.  In addition, each section has a list of subject headings and keywords that will help make catalog and online searching on this topic a lot easier.  We have included short lists of subject area experts, if you are interested in connecting with people in our field and finding out more about that particular area of outreach.  We have even included information about existing partnerships, which are examples of the successes some libraries have found connecting with local organizations to serve these special populations. There are numerous lists of additional print and digital resources for further learning beyond the toolkit itself.

We hope you will share this resource with your library staff.  Through advocacy and awareness of various special populations, we can work together to help all children and all families feel welcome at our libraries!

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This post was written by Renee Grassi. Renee is the Youth Department Director at the Glen Ellyn Public Library in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.  She is also a member of ALSC’s LSSPCC Committee.  In 2012, she was recognized by Library Journal as a Mover & Shaker for her work serving children with autism and other special needs.  She is also one of the co-founding members of SNAILS, a state-wide networking group in Illinois for librarians and library staff who discuss and learn about expanding library services to those with special needs.  As a proud ALSC member and a former ALSC Blogger, she has written on the blog about a variety of topics related to inclusive library services. 

The post The LSSPCC Toolkit: Making All Families Feel Welcome at the Library appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Did you know that April is National Autism Awareness Month? According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1 in 68 children have been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) nationwide.  This dramatic increase is no doubt affecting how libraries provide programs and services that are inclusive and welcoming to those with ASD.  Because of that, the state of Illinois has kickstarted the conversation with Targeting Autism: A National Forum on Serving Library Patrons on the Spectrum.

In 2014, the Illinois State Library was awarded an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Forum Grant to help libraries better serve patrons and family members impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This project explores how libraries can work with diverse community organizations and programs to address the topic of ASD, through training, education and support services. The primary goals of the Targeting Autism Forum include:

• Build a shared appreciation of the challenges and opportunities associated with acquiring information on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Identify leadership roles for community libraries in improving community supports and services for individuals with ASD
• Begin fostering stakeholder alignment around a community library ASD initiative
• Begin developing a shared vision of success for a state library initiative on ASD
• Identify next steps

The majority of the participation and conversation will take place at two Autism Stakeholder Forums, which were scheduled for March and September of 2015.  This past March, nearly 80 individuals came together representing various stakeholder groups including libraries, schools, institutions of higher education, health services professionals, government agencies, ASD service organizations, and parent advocates.  The idea behind the Forums is to inform the creation of an implementation plan.  With this plan, the state of Illinois hopes to achieve the following:

1. Increase ASD awareness, education, and support services
2. Improve adn streamline online access to the wealth of information intended to provide support for families and indiviuals with ASD
3. Ensure sustainable, inter-organizational partnerships committed to enhancing ASD support, state-wide

The March Forum offered a wealth of information and inspiration provided by variety of experts and advocates.  Among the presenters included self-advocate Adria Nassim from Adria’s Village, who discussed her experience as a reader, a library user, and a person with autism.  Participants also heard from former librarian Barbara Klipper about her book Programming for Children and Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as Nancy Farmer, who highlighted content from her book Library Services for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders.  Dan Weiss discussed his experience partnering with libraries across the state of New Jersey in collaboration on a project called Libraries and Autism: We’re Connected.  In addition, forum participants heard from a panel entitled “Training Librarians: What’s Being Done (or Not).”  This included a panel of professors from Syracuse University School of Information, Florida State University College of Communication and Information, Dominican University Graduate School of Library and Information Science, and UIUC Graduate School of Library and Information Science.  All of the presentations from the March Forum are available on Youtube, so you don’t have to be an Illinois librarian to learn from what the Forum has to offer.

What can you do to help contribute to this effort?  Targeting Autism has launched a nationwide effort to collect personal stories that describe an individual’s connection to autism and a statement as to why this initiative is important.  Positive, negative, constructive–all experiences are welcome to help inform this process. Simply click here and submit your personal story to Suzanne Schriar, Targeting Autism Project Director.  We would love to have your input!

In the meantime, follow the Targeting Autism blog, join the conversation, and think about what you and your library can do today and every day to be a more welcoming place to people with autism.

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Renee Grassi is the Youth Department Director at the Glen Ellyn Public Library in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.  She is also a “Targeting Autism” Board member.  In 2012, she was recognized by Library Journal as a Mover & Shaker for her work serving children with autism and other special needs.  She is also one of the co-founding members of SNAILS, a state-wide networking group in Illinois for librarians and library staff who discuss and learn about expanding library services to those with special needs.  As a proud ALSC member and a former ALSC Blogger, she has written on the blog about a variety of topics related to inclusive library services. 

The post Targeting Autism: Serving Library Patrons on the Spectrum appeared first on ALSC Blog.

One of the things that I love about librarianship is that it’s a dynamic profession. It is an evolving field that challenges us to continuously learn and grow in our professional development to better serve our communities.  As a member of ALSC’s Library Service to Special Population Children and Their Caregivers Committee, we have a specific goal to advocate for special populations children and their caregivers.  We strive to discover, develop, and disseminate information about materials, programs and facilities that are available at the library for these groups of patrons.  One of the things that we suggest is that library staff at all levels participate in continuing educational programs and classes about serving these special populations.  Here is a current list of online resources available through ALSC, ASCLA, YASLA, and Webjunction for you to help you grow in awareness and competency in this area.

• Children with Disabilities in the Library online course
• “City Librarian, Country Library” student session
• Using the Every Child Ready to Read @ your library® Toolkit with Spanish-Speaking Communities webcast
• What’s After Storytime: Programming for Children and Tweens With Autism webcast
• Sensory Storytime: Preschool Programming That Makes Sense for Kids with Autism webcast
• YALSA’s Beyond Booklists online course
• Webjunction’s Serving the Underserved: Children with Disabilities at Your Library archived webinar
• Webjunction’s Rainbow Family Connections: Embracing LGBTQ Families at Your Library online course
• ASCLA’s Going to Jail: How Juvenile Books Portray the Prison Experience online course
• ASCLA’s Improving Library Services to People with Disabilities online course

Be sure to also check out ALSC’s list of Professional Tools for Librarians Serving Youth.  You’ll find a lot of great information about access, advocacy, diversity, public awareness, and more.

Renee Grassi, LSSPCC Committee Member

This is not an uncommon situation.  I’ve had many conversations with librarians who share similar stories.  “I did all this research and developed this awesome new Sensory Storytime program…but no one came.  I want to draw new families to the library, but I don’t know how to reach them.  What should I do?”  My response if often much longer than the inquiring librarians ever intended, but that’s because it’s a multifaceted issue.  There are many different things to consider when hosting a program for children with special needs.  So, if no one is coming to your Sensory Storytime at your library, here are a few things you can do:

• Cultivate Partnerships: Partner with local organizations to help spread the word.  There are many places in your community that serve families with children with special needs, including hospitals, health centers, therapy centers, doctor’s offices, park districts, and museums.  Contact your local chapter of state-wide and national disability related organizational groups.  Consider hosting a special needs resource fair at your library, like Evanston Public Library did just this month, and invite these organizations to present at your library.  Otherwise, ask if you can attend one at a local school or community event.  Many organizations are looking for free recreational opportunities to share with families, and Sensory Storytime would be just the kind of program they might be willing to help promote.
• Rebrand: To keep a program fresh and appealing to our communities, sometimes we need to repackage and rebrand it. Maybe the name “Sensory Storytime” is not a draw to families.   Consider changing the name to “Special Needs Storytime,” or use more inclusive language like “Storytime for Children of All Abilities.”  Maybe your program is being offered on a day of the week or a time of day that doesn’t work for families in your community.  Switch it up and change the day and time, but don’t forgot to ask families first what works best for them.  Here are also 10 Quick Tips for Marketing to this audience.
• Focus on Inclusion: The reason your library is receiving low attendance–or none at all–could be because a storytime program specifically for children with special needs doesn’t work for your families.  It can be hard to attend a program for one child, when there are two or three other younger or older children that don’t fit in the correct age bracket for that program.  Consider a more inclusive approach and develop programming that is open to the entire family, including siblings.  There are many benefits to having the family attend as a unit, including the fact that it is a lot easier for families to attend together.
• Try a Different Program: You could switch gears and focus on developing a completely different program all together.  Perhaps you might want to target a different age group, offering Sensory School-age Programming for older children or Sensory-Friendly Films for the whole family.  You might even want to host a Board Game and Pizza Night for Tweens of All Abilities, like Deerfield Public Library did.  For whatever reason, a storytime program may not be a draw in your community, but there are many other things you at your library can do to offer programming for this audience.

If you have already tried these tips and still aren’t reaching families, perhaps library programming is not what your community wants.  And that’s okay.  Many families with children with special needs are over-scheduled with doctor visits, therapies, parent/teacher conferences about IEPs, and play dates.  Instead, here are some other things your library might want to consider to expand services to families with children with special needs:

• Focus on Outreach: Instead of trying to invite kids to the library, make trips to the local schools and make visit their classrooms.  Bring Sensory Storytime on the road, or even consider asking if their class would be able to do a community outing to visit the library.  There is a lot you can do to make these visits meaningful.  Here are just a few ideas, including curriculum on life skills teaching manners, as well as some general tips about visiting classrooms.
• Develop Your Collections: Don’t forget about your library materials!  You can serve the needs of families with children with special needs by developing your existing collections, or creating new ones.  You may want to consider Early Literacy or Sensory Kits, connecting with your local Braille and Talking Book Libraries or ordering more books in braille, offering more hi-lo reading material, or developing your parent/teacher collection to include more books on special needs related topics.  Don’t forget about the Schneider Family Book Award, which recognizes books that highlight the disability experience.  Just as we work to make our programs and services more inclusive and diverse, we shouldn’t forget that our collections should represent and reflect the diversity in our communities as well. 
  
• Train Staff:  Even if your library has the best new program or service, it won’t matter if other library staff members in other departments are not committed to serving families inclusively.  This could be a huge deterrent for some families.  Disability Awareness Training is necessary for us in libraries to make our libraries more accessible and friendly for everyone. No matter what your library does to welcome children with special needs–whether it is programming, outreach, services, or collections–it’s important that your entire organization is on board with inclusive customer service.

What are your ideas for welcoming families to your Sensory Storytime programs?  Feel free to share below!

A few weeks ago, a special education teacher approached our Youth Department, asking if a librarian might be able to plan a visit for her life skills class of high school students. Her class made regular visits to our library once a month to read and check out books. They were already comfortable visiting the Youth Department, since the materials that they were most interested in were housed in our part of the library. As much as she and her class enjoyed these visits, she wanted to explore the possibility of making the visit richer with learning and interaction, involving a librarian to lead 30 minutes of stories activities. Her goals for the visit were relatively simple: read books which demonstrate using manners in social situations, incorporate sensory and movement activities into the visit, and provide opportunities for her students to practice using manners in real life situations. Her students had been practicing using their manners in the classroom, in the lunchroom, and had plans to make a few field trips outside the school to extend the learning. We, of course, just had to say yes!

A great tip for collaborating on a school visit is to ask questions and plan ahead. Ask if there is a particular reading level that works best for readalouds. As the teacher and I discussed the visit, I learned that picture books and easy non-fiction materials would work best for her class as readalouds. So, I selected several books to read—both fiction and non-fiction—that would be both informative and entertaining for the audience.

Another helpful tip is to ask what type of accommodations would work best for her students. For example, would creating a visual schedule of the visit’s activities help alleviate anxiety for her students? I also learned that her students would benefit greatly from the use of visual supports, as a way for them to see what was coming next. So, I put together a large group schedule, using Boardmaker images to coincide with the various activities. Each 8 1/2″  x 11” piece of paper included a large graphic as well as simple, easy to decode text. For example, I put together one sign that included the text “Play a Game” and displayed an image of a large, multicolored parachute.

You may also want to ask the teacher if her students have any specific triggers that might be helpful for you to know about in advance. For example, does music cause discomfort or distress in some of her students? If so, you may want to reconsider using a music CD and decide just to sign a song aloud using your own voice. The teacher did happen to mention that one of her students has the tendency to run when that student gets frustrated or upset. This was useful information for me to know, as I wouldn’t be caught off-guard in case this happened during the visit.

Here is an outline of the program that we implemented with her students:

• Review Visual Schedule: As a way to let the students know what we would be doing, I reviewed the visual schedule by going over each activity individually using clear and specific “First… Then…” language.
• Hello Activity: I began the storytime by introducing myself as “Miss Renee.” I then invited each students and teachers to introduce themselves to the classroom by saying “Hi, my name is…” Then, the group replied “Hello, [student’s name]” as a way to practice good manners by greeting others.
• Read a Book: How do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food by Jane Yolen
• Read a Book: Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur: A First Book of Manners by Judy Sierra
• Play a Game with a Ball: I pulled out four different sized sensory balls and invited the group to move into a circle. The object of this activity was to have each student to ask another student or teacher if they could pass them the ball using their most polite manners. For example, “Daniel, would you please roll me that purple, spiky ball?” We passed, rolled, bounced, and threw the balls twice around the circle, allowing each student the chance to participate a few times.
• Read a Book: Manners in the Lunch Room (Way to Be: Manners! Series) by Amanda Tourville
• Play a Game with a Parachute: I brought out the parachute, and asked if everyone would stand up. This time, we went around the circle and each student was encouraged to dictate to the group (using their manners) what they wanted to do with the parachute. For instance, Jean would say “Could we please wave the wave the parachute up and down really fast?” Each student was allowed a chance to have the group play with the parachute in their own way.
• Read a Book: Manners in the Library (Way to Be: Manners! Series) by Carrie Finn
• Sing a Song “If You’re Happy and You Know It” (with ASL): We sung the first verse of this traditional song, but then incorporated ASL signs that aligned with our theme in the additional verses. For example “If you’re polite and you know it, just say “please.” (ASL sign for please) and “If you’re grateful and you know it, just say “thank you.” (ASL sign for thank you). Check out Jbrary’s great post about Using American Sign Language in Storytime for more ideas about how to utilize ASL in programs.
• Library Activity: The teacher instructed the students to write note cards in advance with questions they wanted to ask librarians. The students took turns going to the desk and asking their questions, and the librarians took them to the shelves to help them find books that they liked based on their interests. After they practiced asking their questions and using their manners, librarians gave each student a small incentive (a sticker) for visiting to the library.

Overall, it was a fantastic success–so much so that the teacher asked if we could make this a regular part of their monthly visits.  And again, how could we say no?

Partnering with your local special education district is a great way to provide students with disabilities opportunities for learning outside the classroom. By giving students the chance to practice life skills in a library environment, librarians can help prepare them to be successful in their daily lives. It’s important that all library staff at all levels are aware and prepared to provide excellent, inclusive library service. Children’s, Tween, and Teen Librarians can work together to lead this type of programming. So, the next time that you are approached by a local special education teacher, think about getting your tween or teen librarians on board, too.

For more great ideas about lesson planning for tweens and young adults with special needs, check out this fantastic post written by Sarah Okner from the Vernon Area Public Library about her experience Visiting High School Special Education Classrooms.

Do you have an innovative new program or service that requires funding? Are you looking to serve an underserved part of your community more fully?  The ALSC/Candlewick Press “Light the Way: Outreach to the Underserved” Grant is a great opportunity for your library!

The Light the Way Grant was formed in honor of Newbery Medalist and Geisel Honoree author Kate DiCamillo. The spirit of the award honors the themes represented in her books.  The award itself consists of a $3,000 grant to assist a library in conducting exemplary outreach to underserved populations through a new program or an expansion of work already being done. So, whether yours is a new idea or one that has already been put into place, your library would be eligible.

The  ALSC Library Service to Special Population Children and Their Caregivers Committee has the honor of selecting the winner. Special population children may include those who have learning or physical differences, those who speak English as a second language, those who are in a non-traditional school environment, those who live in foster care settings, those who are in the juvenile justice system, those who live in gay and lesbian families, those who have teen parents, and those who need accommodation service to meet their needs.

Be inspired by the impact and the work of the 2014 ALSC/Candlewick Press “Light the Way” current grant winner. Don’t forget to check back on the ALSC website for the most current grant application to be available soon!

Talk about inspiration! I attended a fabulous program, which highlighted a panel of early literacy librarian experts. They talked about their wide variety of experiences developing collaborative partnerships in their community. Here are 3 of my quick takeaways:

• If you can train other community partners to extend your reach and support the goals of promoting literacy and school literacy, your impact multiplies.
• Our role as early literacy advocates should be to partner with local social service agencies to work together to break the cycle of illiteracy. Seek out homeless shelters, food banks, and other childhood agencies and connect with their professionals.
• Start up a conversation with parents and caregivers! Sometimes a quick 5-10 minute convo that includes a few early literacy tips is more meaningful and accessible to at-risk families, rather than offering librarian-led lecture style presentations about early literacy. Make it personal and get to know their children individually.

What tips do you have for maintaining successful and meaningful early literacy partnerships in your community?

There are many ways for us to serve the underserved in our library communities.  Whether we provide outreach in local preschools or daycares, visit incarcerated youth, or serve children with disabilities, outreach is a crucial part of inclusive library service.  This summer, we at the Glen Ellyn Public Library served–quite literally–children with a different type of need.

Food for Thought

Here’s a brief look at some statistics and information about hunger in our  communities.  The numbers might surprise you.

• According to the USDA in a 2013 study, 49 million people in the US live in homes that are “food insecure” – meaning that they do not always have access to adequate amounts of food to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle.
• 1 in 8 Americans rely on help from food banks each year.
• 20% of households with children and 9% of elderly people living alone are food insecure.
• In 2012, 16.1 million or approximately 22 percent of children in the U.S. lived in poverty.
• Good nutrition, particularly in the first three years of life, is important for establishing a good foundation that has implications for a child’s future physical and mental health, academic achievement, and economic productivity.  In other words, healthy bodies mean healthy minds.

Summer Reading, Summer Eating

Last summer, our library launched their 2013 Summer Reading Program entitled Read to Feed.  Children of all ages were encouraged to keep track of the number of hours they read during the summer.  Not only did they read to accomplish an individual goal, but a community wide goal was set, challenging all of the kids to read 70,000 hours throughout the course of the summer. In response to the community’s commitment to reach their reading goal, the local Rotary Club committed to making a donation to the local food pantry, providing funding to feed 500 local individuals.  This year, when the idea came up of having the library participate in the Summer Meals program, sponsored by the Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB), we felt that this would naturally coincide and continue with the mission of last year’s summer reading program.

After evaluating our school district’s free and reduced lunch statistics, we realized that we qualified to offer free summer meals in our library community.  The NIFB made a site visit in preparation for the summer meals program, providing the required training for staff that would supervise the program.  In addition, our School Liaison shared the news with various community contacts, making sure that the word got out to the families that needed the most.  And so, for several weeks throughout the summer on Mondays through Fridays from 12 – 1 pm, the library was an open site, serving free boxed lunches to children 18 and younger.

Hungry for Connection

The main focus of this program was to provide healthy, well-balanced lunches to children free of charge.  However, soon after we launched the program, we noticed something else significant happen.  Our library has a group of kids who use our building as a safe haven during the summer months.  They may have working parents that are not home, so often times, they stay for hours on end utilizing our collections and our services.  In some cases, these children might not have anywhere else to go.  And once the Summer Meals program began, we observed a change  in some of those kids.  Some of these kids began to open up to us even more than usual, interacting with staff and starting conversation.  In some cases, even our rapport with the children’s caregivers grew as well.  We were able to connect with new families that have never utilized the library before, promoting the library and all of its services.  We also served some of the families that already were regular library users.  It may have been the summer lunches that initially drew families to the library, but I do think that it was the personal connection with staff that kept them coming back.

In A Nutshell

Think about how this program fits in with your library’s mission.  What might be the added value of a program like this in your library community?  The first step would be to determine and evaluate your school district’s free and reduced lunch statistics.  If your community qualifies, reach out to a local food pantry or food bank to see if there is a comparable program in your area.

You may also want to consider the cost and the impact of a program like this.  The main cost to the library is not the cost of food; boxed lunches are delivered daily free from the food bank.  The primary cost is staff time.  Staff would be needed to be available to set up and clean up the room, monitor the room during the hour-long program, communicate with the food bank about delivery times and number of lunches delivered, and make sure that the proper documentation is in place.  Once that is taken care of, the program runs quite smoothly.  The impact, though, can be much greater.  While many of us promote reading programs during the summer, the fact is that food insecurity could be inhibiting some children from being able to primed for learning and reading.  A child that does not have access to quality and well-balanced meals may not be as mentally equipped or motivated to read.  And with a program like summer meals, the library can help serve that need.

If you are heading to Oakland next month for the 2014 ALSC Institute and want to learn more about how to implement a summer lunch program at your library, be sure to check out Summer Lunch at the Library  presented by the California Summer Meal Coalition, the California Library Association, and the amazing staff from the Sacramento, Fresno County, Oakland, and Los Angeles Public Libraries.  For more information about the upcoming 2014 ALSC Institute, click here!

If you’re going to the 2014 ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, you’re in luck!  You have many opportunities for learning and inspiration, including a wide variety of programs about inclusive services to youth in libraries.  Here’s a snapshot of some of the highlights you won’t want to miss.

• *Accessible eBooks: Ensuring that Your Library’s eContent is Universally Accessible to All (Saturday, June 28 at 8:30 am): As library’s purchase an ever increasing amount of electronic content, questions about universal accessibility become ever more important. In this session, attendees will learn timely options for making their collections accessible to patrons with print disabilities and will walk away with concrete steps and strategies that libraries can implement to ensure their ongoing accessibility.

• *Creating Fun, Accessible Programming for Youth with Disabilities (Saturday, June 28 at 10:30am): Youth patrons with disabilities are members of every public library’s population. This presentation will review best practices on accessible, engaging and entertaining programs for children of all ages and abilities. Throughout the presentation there will be examples and discussion of accessible technology options for children with varying disabilities and how to apply them to specialized programming that caters to their individual needs.

• *Creative Collaborations: Successful Partnerships That Serve Children With Autism (Saturday, June 28 at 1 pm): With the incidence of autism now at 1 in 88, children with this disability need our libraries. Librarians want to serve this population, but may not have the expertise or resources to offer appropriate programming. This panel will feature librarians who forged partnerships with outside organizations in order to serve their young patrons with autism in new and exciting ways. Find out how they did it, and be inspired to do it too.

• *Creating a Safe Library Space for All Youth (Saturday, June 28 at 3 pm): Libraries are in a unique position to be a safe and central location for many youth to turn to. Join us for a discussion of how we can make libraries a safer more welcoming space that meets the needs of all youth.

• *Stepping Up: Providing Effective Library and Information Services, Programs, and Resources to Students with Disabilities (Sunday, June 29 at 3 pm): Research has demonstrated that school librarians often lack the skills and knowledge to effectively design, implement and evaluate services, resources and programs for students with a range of physical, neuro-developmental and/or learning disabilities in their schools. This session will be led by four distinguished university faculty with different perspectives and areas of expertise: disabilities law, leadership and advocacy, communication disorders, and motivation and instructional design. The presenters will use a variety of interactive knowledge-building exercises and participative activities (e.g., what it is like to have a learning disability, how to create an accessible library facility) that motivate and engage participants.

• *Free and Affordable Apps for Accessibility (Saturday, June 28 at 1 pm): Library personnel are the greatest resource in providing outreach services to those with special needs or underserved populations. Free and low cost applications for smart phones and tablets have gone beyond simply games and utility functions and can be used to increase accessibility for library patrons of all ages. These apps and how to implement them in the library’s existing outreach resources will be discussed and demonstrated, and a go-to list of further resources will be provided.

What is the ultimate goal of your library’s summer reading program?  Is it to increase statistics of the amount of participants or the number of minutes read?  Or is to make an impact on the lives of children?  This was a question that was discussed at the last SNAILS meeting, a group that meets on a quarterly basis to talk about expanding services to youth with special needs.  We all know that Children’s Departments across the country are buzzing this time of year, gearing up for the summer season–and rightly so!  It’s that time of year when we have the opportunity to encourage and reward reading in all of its forms through our annual summer reading programs.   It’s also that time of year when we have the chance to do a lot of outreach, advocating for the value of the public library to nonusers and new families. What about families with children of special needs?  How are they being included or excluded from our annual summer reading programs?

Your library may be one of the libraries that has decided to move away from the traditional “reading” program.  Maybe you have developed a summer program that is more experiential in nature.  Perhaps your library even encourages participants to set their own goal for completing the program.  It’s true–libraries are buildings that house books, but through our summer reading programs, we have an opportunity to do so much more than that.

With only a few more weeks left before summer reading begins, take some time to rethink your library’s program.  Reflect and ask yourself these questions:

• What is our ultimate goal for library summer reading programs?
• What benefits do summer reading clubs provide for families of children with special needs?
• What barriers (physical? perceived?) exist that prevent children with special needs from participating in summer reading clubs?
• What are some strategies to make our summer reading clubs accessible from the start (ie. universal design)?
• What are some examples of accommodations that can we make as we go along?
• What are some methods for inviting families of children with special needs to participate in our programs? (Remember, it’s all about marketing!)
  

Do you have the answers?  Share your ideas below!  For further reading, check out this thought-provoking article entitled Summer Reading Club: Inviting Accessibility by Children’s Librarian Tess Prendergast. You can find Tess on Twitter here, where she advocates for early literacy, inclusion, and the role of public libraries in supporting families.

Accessibility is key to serving an inclusive library audience.  Because of that, it’s important that librarians examine–not only our programming–but the accessibility of our library collections as well.  Unfortunately, the process of reading a typical library book may not be accessible for all abilities.  The simple act of turning the page, for example, may be difficult to accomplish by someone who has a disability.  What can librarians do, then, to make our books accessible to those children in our communities with special needs?

Leap Into Literacy adaptive books for special needs children

Partners with Passion

In the Chicagoland area, librarians are fortunate enough to have the expertise and dedication of Rita Angelini, founder of Leap Into Literacy. The mission of this non-profit organization is to create adapted books for children with special needs and make these books available in public libraries.  Using Boardmaker symbols and a bit of creativity, Rita and her amazing group of volunteers adapt small picture books into large, durable, accessible books that can be manipulated by a child with special needs.

What makes a book accessible?

Each page is laminated with thick laminate plastic sheets, allowing fast and easy cleaning for children with compromised immune systems.  Page fluffers or page turners are added, creating adequate space for children to turn the page on their own.  At the bottom of each page, four Boardmaker picture symbols are included that summarize the actions of the story in the illustration and text above. The symbols, which include both image and text of a particular concepts, offer an opportunity to reinforce vocabulary for children who are nonverbal or learning to read.  When all of the adapted pages are finished, the pages are inserted to a three-ring binder, making it a durable, long-lasting product that can be utilized by children of any reading ability.   Afterwards, the books are donated to public libraries across the Chicagoland area and are added to the libraries’ collections to circulate to each community.

Whether you partner with a local organization like Leap Into Literacy to create a circulating collection of adapted books, or you want to try your hand at creating a collection to be used in-house for  programs, any library can improve the accessibility by offering adapted books.  What has YOUR library done to offer unique and accessible reading formats?  Share your ideas below!  To learn more about page fluffers, laminate, and other adapting techniques, check out the Adapting Creatively Blog for some great tips.

The Gruffalo, released by N Circle Entertainment (2011)

Our Children’s Department is trying something new this April for Autism Awareness Month.  As a way to continue our outreach efforts to children with special needs into the library, we will be hosting our first ever inclusive family film program entitled Sensory-Friendly Family Film.

Our idea of a family film program designed especially for children with special needs is modeled after AMC Theatre’s own series of  Sensory-Friendly Films.  In partnership with the Autism Society, AMC’s Sensory-Friendly Films were first developed in 2007 as recreational opportunities for individuals with autism.  These special movie showings welcome people of all abilities to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment.  The theaters themselves offer a different kind of moviegoing experience, with lights that are turned on and sound that is turned down.  Audience members are even invited to move about the room as they please.  As explained by the Autism Society, “Being able to relax and enjoy quality family time without worrying if someone will complain or be disturbed by noise of movement is a wonderful experience. It’s a great opportunity for families to meet, siblings of children with autism to get to know other kids, and anyone to enjoy a movie in a climate of acceptance and understanding.”  Children with autism spectrum disorder often need a different adaption or a slightly altered environment to feel comfortable.  Sensory-Friendly Films offer that supportive environment.

There were many reasons why we decided to host a Sensory-Friendly Film program at the library.  Our Children’s Department has an ongoing series of Sensory Storytime programs for children with special needs, so we already have a core group of families who visit the library to attend these programs.  So, we wanted to build on our first program’s success.  We wanted to provide more opportunities for those families to feel comfortable visiting the library in a program that is still as welcoming and inclusive as Sensory Storytime.  Another goal of ours was to develop more programs that are family-oriented and welcoming for parents, caregivers, and siblings.  That way, families are able to make visits to the library together, with everyone able to enjoy the movie experience regardless of their age or ability.  We also wanted to bring attention to our selection of movies that are based on picture books.  There are many production companies, such as Weston Woods, Dreamscape, and Scholastic Storybook Treasures, that create quality audiovisual adaptations of picture book texts.  By showing one of these movies, we hope to bring more awareness to this mini collection of DVDs, while introducing kids with new characters and connecting them with new stories.

Here is a run down of our program details:

• Title: Sensory Friendly Family Film–The Gruffalo
• Date and Time: Saturday, April 5 at 11 am
• Target Audience: Children of all ages and abilities with parent or caregiver
• Program Description: Join us for our first sensory-friendly movie showing of “The Gruffalo.” The room will be lighter, the volume will be lower, and audience members will be welcome to move around, talk, and sing.  The intended audience is children with special needs accompanied by siblings and caregivers, although everyone is welcome.  Noise cancelling headphones and fidgets will be available to use.  No registration required–just drop in!
• Room setup: TV monitor at the front of the room with chairs arranged in auditorium style seating; large aisles and walkways in between rows of chairs and along the edge of the room for accessibility; table arranged at the back of the room displaying copies of The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and collection of fidgets and other manipulatives for children to use during the program
• Fidgets and manipulatives made available: 4 pairs of noise cancelling headphones; 6 tangle toys;  4 giant sensory tubes; sensory balls; stress balls; puzzles

Here’s another quick tip.  If your library wants to host a family movie program, be sure to first acquire the rights to show the movie in your library.  Check out Movie Licensing USA or the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation for more information.

To find out more about the history of Sensory Friendly Films and to learn about the one family who made it all happen, click here.  For a list of participating theaters in your area, check out AMC Theatre’s website.  And to learn about more autism-friendly library programming strategies that work, check out the Libraries and Autism website.  Does your library offer Sensory-Friendly Film programming? If so, share your tips and ideas below!

I dream of the day when every public library is my public library.

-Brian Charlson

This Public Library Association 2014 Conference offers a particularly impressive selection of programs about various aspects of serving traditionally underserved users.  And boy–is there a lot to learn.  Before this afternoon, I hadn’t heard about Refreshable Braille Displays.  According to Brian Charlson, Director of Technology at the Carroll Center for the Blind, they are actually the most popular devices for K-12 students who are blind or have low vision.  Refreshable Braille Displays are electronic devices that allow users to read text that is typically displayed visually on a computer monitor.  The devices themselves do not have any screens, but are connected to computers by a USB cord.  Showing 18 characters at a time, Refreshable Braille Displays convert visual text into tactual text and produces Braille output for the reader.

A question that was asked during this program–how do we as librarians provide access to reading material to patrons who are blind or have low vision?  Brian went on to explain that three things are required:

1. Your users need to know that the technology exists.
2. Your users need to be able to afford the technology.
3. Your users need to know how to use the technology.

This is where our role as librarians is crucial.  Even our youngest patrons who are blind or have low vision rely on libraries to provide information, access, and training.  And while consumer products like Kindles and Nooks are not required to comply with ADA Standards, public libraries are, indeed, required.  So, if you circulates e-reader devices in your Children’s Department or elsewhere in your library, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• Do these devices have text to speech capabilities?
• Can the user change the font size and the font type?
• Is there functionality to change contrast settings?
• Can the user have individual words spelled out?
• Can users change the background and foreground colors and set transparency to make the interface easier to read?

One last takeaway.  No two people–whether they are blind or sighted–are alike.  Every user has their own set of needs, and we as librarians can/should do what we can to help.

Librarians excel at a great many things, especially when it comes to marketing to people who already use the library.  But what about non-users?  What strategies do we employ to reach those who do not currently utilize the library and its services?  As we strive to reach out to the community and advocate for the value of our public library, it’s important to remember that many families of children with special needs are still uncomfortable with the idea of stepping through our doors.  So, even though we may develop new programs and services specifically targeting children with disabilities and their families, traditional marketing methods may not work.

If your library struggles with getting the word out to families of children with special needs, here is a list of ten quick tips you can apply to your library’s marketing strategies right away.

1. Visit areas in the community that are frequented by everyone, regardless of their ability.  Share information and flyers at bus stops, train stations, park districts, community centers, and your local coffee shop.
2. Lead a library focus group or an advisory group made up of stakeholders from your community about expanding accessible library services.
3. Create a Special Needs Library e-Newsletter and send it out regularly highlighting new programs, materials, and services.  Check out the “Special Child” e-newsletter from Arlington Heights Memorial Library as a great model.
4. Join the conversation online. Find and contact parent support groups in your area using Meetup.com, Facebook, Twitter, or MySpecialNeedsNetwork.com.  Ask them if they would host you as a guest speaker, so that you could open up a dialogue about libraries.
5. Establish partnerships with local therapists, doctors’ offices, and other special needs related community organizations.  Many are looking to pass along free recreational opportunities to families in their network, so they may be able to post flyers or send emails about upcoming events at your library.
6. Attend disability expos, fairs, or forums that are happening in your community.  Represent your library by staffing an information table.
7. Connect with your local special education district.  Ask if they would be willing to email information, send flyers home in backpacks, or add your library’s programs to their calendar of community events.
8. Dedicate space on your library’s website to Special Needs or Accessible Library Services.  Check out “The Child’s Place” from the Brooklyn Public Library as an excellent example.
9. Create a community-wide survey to identify needs and to assess community interests and the perception of your library.
10. Involve parents of children with special needs in your Strategic Planning process to help inform the direction and scope of future library services.

One last tip.  Empower all levels of staff to be advocates for inclusion and accessibility by offering disability friendly training.  Once children age out of Youth Services, they and their families require accessible service from other areas of the library.  It’s important that all levels of library staff, especially staff on the front lines, are on the same page about making the library a welcoming place for patrons with special needs.  Take a look at “Disability Awareness Training: Essential Tools for Your Toolbox” for more information.

What are some ways your libraries has marketed its programs and services to families of children with special needs?  Share your ideas below!

I am thankful for Sensory Storytimes.  I’m also thankful to the ALSC community for giving me the support I needed to start something new.  What’s more, I’m thankful for your Sensory Storytimes.  I’m thankful that library services to families with children with special needs are continuing to expand in communities across the country because of librarians like you.  You are thinking outside of the box, learning, growing, and developing new programs and services to serve an underserved group of our communities.  It’s no wonder that the perception of the public library is starting to change.  Parents and caregivers are now looking to libraries for recreational and educational opportunities where their children with special needs can be included.  Now that’s truly something to be thankful for.

For many parents and caregivers, though, the public library is not a comfortable place to visit.  If we are to continue expanding services to children with disabilities, we must directly confront the perception that the public library is not a place for children with special needs.  In short, we must advocate for our library to non-users. One way to do that is to talk openly about the benefits for children with special needs when they attend inclusive library programs.  Not sure what to say?  Here are a few talking points.

• Storytimes are open to the public: Programs like Sensory Storytime–just like all other library programs–are free, recreational opportunities that are easily accessible.  Most libraries do not require advanced planning, though some require advanced registration.
• Storytimes are literacy rich environments: Sensory Storytime programs have many opportunities for talking, reading, singing, writing, and playing.  This can help increase language skills, vocabulary, and syntax development.  Storytimes and other library programs also foster a love of reading and support learning for all children.
• Storytimes are sensory rich environments: Programs like Sensory Storytime offer many fun and stimulating sensory experiences for children to see, touch, hear, and smell new things in their environment.  Increased sensory input helps stimulate brain development, not just for children with special needs, but for all children. Sensory rich environments also help children develop imagination, think creatively, and experiment.
• Storytimes provide opportunities for practicing life skills: Life skills help children with special needs function independently. So, it’s important for children to have opportunities to practice these skills, which include listening, attending, following directions, transitioning between activities, taking turns, and sequencing.  Storytime programs offer these and more!
• Storytimes provide opportunities for socialization: A wise librarian once told me that storytime is, at its heart, about connection between people.  The individual connections we librarians make during storytime with children, parents and caregivers is one of the most valuable aspects of our programs.  In programs like Sensory Storytime, children with special needs not only have the opportunity to connect with other children, but they practice how to work cooperatively and collaboratively with their peer group.
• Storytimes are inclusive environments: One of the main goals of a program like Sensory Storytime is to welcome families into the library who might not be included in other areas of community life.  It does not matter one’s level of ability, all children are included to participate equally.  Isn’t that the mission of our public libraries, after all?

If you are working at a library who has already began developing new and innovative services and programs for children with disabilities, I just want to take this moment to share my gratitude and say thanks.  If your library has yet to make this as a goal, I hope this post inspires you to be fearless and try new things.  I guarantee your community will be thankful.

Inclusion can mean different things to different people.  One definition of inclusion is “an approach to library service that includes patrons with disabilities in an equitable way.”  If library staff do everything that they can do to meet the varied needs of patrons with special needs, they are truly being inclusive.

Carrie Banks, the director of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Child’s Place for Children with Special Needs describes her library’s model for inclusion as “employing universal design and appreciating multiple intelligences so that all are welcomed and engaged.”  In her latest book “Including Families of Children with Special Needs: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians,” Carrie provides a detailed guide for librarians looking to develop inclusive services for children and youth with disabilities.  This book is a must-have resource for any librarian looking to learn more about inclusion in public libraries.

Why is inclusion so important?  According to Child Action, Inc., inclusion has many benefits:

• Inclusion provides belonging, acceptance, and developmentally appropriate practices
• Inclusion teaches children with special needs typically developing skills
• Inclusion provides an opportunity to develop friendships
• Inclusion provides children with special needs an opportunity to develop positive attitudes toward themselves and others who are different from themselves

What does inclusion mean to you at your library?  For me, inclusive libraries are…

Adaptable

Aware

Cooperating

Diversified

Helpful

Learning

Open

Supporting

Universal

& Welcoming!

How do you select the right picture book to read to an audience of children with special needs?  A few years ago, I blogged about tips and strategies for those of us selecting books for special needs storytimes.  While I still use this criteria today, now I’ve come across a slight problem.  I will admit, it’s not exactly a problem…  With all the fabulous picture books published every year, how do you even begin to choose what to use for storytime?  This list is just one place to start.  So, whether your library hosts its own Sensory Storytime program, you’re just searching for books to read to an inclusive audience, or you’re just looking for a great readaloud, this list is for you!

Animals

• Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
• Dog’s Noisy Day by Emma Dodd
• Jump! by Scott Fisher
• Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folgueira
• Ah Ha! by Jeff Mack
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See by Bill Martin
• Stick! by Andy Pritchett
• I Went Walking by Sue Williams

Colors

• Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd
• Wow! Said the Owl by Tim Hopgood
• Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
• Cleo’s Color Book by Caroline Mockford
• What Makes a Rainbow by Betty Schwartz
• Knock! Knock! By Anna-Clara Tidholm
• The Deep Blue Sea: A Book of Colors by Audrey Wood

Rhymes & Songs

• Itsy Bitsy Spider by Richard Egielski
• One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Anna Grossnickle Hines
• Five Little Ducks by Annie Kubler
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
• Down by the Station by Jennifer Vetter
• If You’re Happy and You Know It by James Warhola
• The Wheels on the Bus by Paul Zelinsky

Renee’s Favorites

• Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley
• A Closer Look by Mary McCarthy
• If You Give A Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
• Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
• Wave Goodbye by Rob Reid
• Press Here by Herve Tullet
• Banana! by Ed Vere

What are some of your favorites?  Share them below!

Maybe it’s just at my library, but many of our kids head straight for the new shelves.  They just can’t help themselves.  They like the shining covers.  The crisp pages.  They are drawn to the snappy cover art.  Plus, they want to check out the latest and greatest new book–you know, the one all their friends are reading.  Even now, Wonder by R.J. Palacio is one of those books for us.  While it was published in February of 2012, popularity of it still hasn’t let up–and rightly so.

Okay. But what if all your copies are checked out? What do you give them?  Sometimes be hard for us as librarians to bring attention to older–albeit sometimes dusty–titles that may not have yet been read by kids these days.  It sure doesn’t hurt to try.  If you are looking for some suggestions of good books with characters that are special in their own way, try these.

A Cool Moonlight by Angela Johnson

Nine-year-old Lila, born with xeroderma pigmentosum, a skin disease that make her sensitive to sunlight, makes secret plans to feel the sun’s rays on her tenth birthday.

Quit It by Marcia Byalick

Diagnosed with a neurological disorder that causes uncontrollable tics, such as coughing and head jerking, sixth-grader Carrie must cope with the embarrassment and strain of various reactions from family, friends, and strangers.

The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous by Suzanne Crowely

In the small town of Jumbo, Texas, thirteen-year-old Merilee, who has Asperger’s syndrome, tries to live a “Very Ordered Existence,” but disruptions begin when a boy and his father arrive in town and the youngster makes himself a part of the family.

Nobody’s Perfect by Marlee Matlin

Megan, a popular and outgoing fourth-grader, is sure that the “perfect” new girl dislikes her because she is deaf, but persistence and a joint science fair project help Megan see that the two girls have something in common after all.

Singing Hands by Delia Ray

In the late 1940s, twelve-year-old Gussie, a minister’s daughter, learns the definition of integrity while helping with a celebration at the Alabama School for the Deaf–her punishment for misdeeds against her deaf parents and their boarders.

95 Pounds of Hope by Anna Galvada

From his first day, school had been torture for Gregory because of his ADD.  Things got progressively worse, until he was expelled in eighth grade, but through all his difficulties, Gregory could count on support from his grandfather, until his grandfather became ill and needed support from Gregory.

The Silent Boy by Lois Lowry

Katy Thatcher was the bright and curious daughter of the town doctor. Perhaps it was her insatiable curiosity that fueled their friendship with Jacob.  Although Jacob never spoke to her or even looked at her directly, Katy grew to understand him from the moments they spent together quietly singing to the horses.  But when events took an unexpected and tragic turn, it was Katy alone who could unravel the mystery of what had occurred, and why.

The Man Who Loved Clowns by June Rae Wood

When thirteen-year-old Delrita’s parents are killed in an car accident, she begins to hide from the world.  Things change for her when she starts to develop a friendship with her Uncle Punky, an adult with Down’s syndrome.

One of our most dedicated and reliable volunteers we have at our library is young man who is going into 10th Grade.  He comes to the library every Saturday precisely at 9 am.  He has impeccable attention to detail and is able to manage a variety of responsibilities.  He is quick to shelve and is eager to take on new tasks.  As the new Head of Children’s Services at my library, I was so happy to see that we had a resident of the community–someone who had used the library all throughout his life–now volunteering and making a difference at his local library.  I was even more pleased when I found out that this young man is a person with special needs.

If you already have a teen volunteer program at your library to help out in the Children’s Department, consider opening it up to teens with special needs.  It may not be anything you’ve considered before, but I assure you the payoff is well worth it.  Here’s a few things I’ve learned along the way.

One of the first things I do after hearing about a volunteer’s interest in the library is to schedule an orientation meeting.  This is a great opportunity for me to get to know the person who will be helping out at the library and learn about strengths and interests.  You also want to make sure to keep track of the volunteer’s contact information, in case you should need to get in touch with him.  The key here is to be sure to involve family members in this process–there isn’t anyone who knows this volunteer better, after all!  During the meeting, though, I do my best to make sure I’m not having the parent speak for your volunteer.  If your volunteer can interact with me in a dialogue, I prepare myself with clear and concise questions, so as to avoid any misunderstanding.  Depending on the special need, it may work more smoothly to direct comments and questions to the caregiver.  But I’ve noticed if I take the time to speak slowly and clearly and wait for responses, I usually have a positive interaction.

It’s also important to match the task with your volunteer’s ability.  Some volunteers may enjoy for sorting things or organizing materials in numerical or alphabetical order.  Others may prefer to be more active around the library and do things like cleaning, dusting shelves, or watering plants.  Maybe your volunteer is interested in assisting with preparing craft materials.  It’s handy to keep an on-going list of various tasks of things you need done around the department.  Then, as you learn about your volunteer’s strengths and interests, you can assign duties that you think will be a good fit.  This is key.  As you assign a task, you are also setting up an expectation.  So, be aware of the expectations you are creating and if they are within the realm of your volunteer’s abilities.

Most importantly, be friendly and flexible.  Whether it is you or another staff member who is charged with coordinating volunteers, remember that simple things like saying “Hello” and “How are you?” go a long way.  Even if your volunteer does not always respond to you, this shows you acknowledge and value their presence.  If you’ve noticed that your volunteer needs help with sticking to a task, consider offering him a timer to use while he is working.  If you see signs that your volunteer is frustrated or having a bad day, offer him the chance to take a break or assign him a different task.  This is another time when having a communicative relationship with your volunteer’s parent or caregiver is crucial.  That person could provide information about your volunteer’s situation to help you to see the big picture of your volunteer’s needs.  Bumps in the road will inevitably arise, but being understanding and reassuring, especially when working with patrons with special needs, is an absolute must.

Teens with special needs have unique challenges as they grow into adulthood, and ma

One of the best programs I attended in Anaheim was Using Apps in Children’s Librarianship.  Led by a dynamic panel of two school librarians and two public librarians (mrschureads, 100scopenotes, @gaserotti and @amygrav), I left motivated and inspired by all the innovative ways we librarians can think outside the box and use apps to improve our services.  Here are just a few amazing takeaways.

Consider mounting an iPad to a wall or an endcap somewhere in your department and encourage children to play with it, just as they would a play panel.  Settings can easily be changed to make sure that children have access to only the areas of the iPad you want them to access.  There are also cases that can ensure that the iPad is locked down.  Once you have it secure, you could rotate different apps each week to keep kids coming back for more.  Shape sorting apps, rhyme apps, animal sound apps, storybook apps…the world is your oyster.

I was particular interested in learning about how we can use apps with older children, and the panel certainly did not disappoint.  One idea was to incorporate apps into book discussions.  Say you have a group of kids at a library program discussing Powerless by Matthew Cody.  You could start the activity by asking everyone what superpower do they wish they had.  The Art Studio app allows you to draw, paint, and edit photos.  So, instead of just asking students to answer the question, incorporate app technology and invite kids to be creative.  Working in groups or individually, kids could take their own picture, add drawings to depict themselves with this superpower, and then share their answer and their picture with the group.  Genius!

If you want to invite parents into the conversation, librarians could lead an App Chat or Appy Hour program.  Parents and librarians meet at the library to make recommendations of apps to other parents. This is also a great opportunity for librarians to talk about what qualities to look for in a good app, and talk about how to use the library’s app–if you have one!  We librarians have grown accustomed to reader’s advisory.  Why not app advisory?

Thank you to John, Travis, Amy, and Gretchen for all the FABULOUS ideas!

Renee Grassi, Head of Children’s Services                                                                           Glencoe Public Library                                                                                                              Glencoe, IL                                                                                                                 @MissReneeDomain

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw.

If you’ve already read the latest issue of Children & Libraries, then you are probably just as motivated and inspired as I am by all the ideas about PLAY.  If you haven’t, you should.*** The second edition of Every Child Ready to Read has brought the focus on this all-too-important topic, separating “Play” out as its own distinct pre-literacy activity.  That means for those of us coordinate children’s programs, we have now assumed the role of “facilitator of play.”  But let’s be honest, many of us have probably already taken this on before.  Many of our programs may already have playtime built into our storytime programs.  The new edition of ECRR makes it official.  I, for one, am excited to have another reason to continue playing and encouraging families to play, too.

At my previous library, I coordinated Sensory Storytime program, a one hour long program for children with special needs, and it was developed to give playtime its own special focus.  Children ages four to eight came to the library on a Saturday afternoon for 30 minutes of storytime activities, and 30 minutes of structured play activities.  After our storytime activities were completed, children and caregivers would receive a small picture card that matched one of the three stations in the room.  This program has evolved several times incorporating different play activities offered, including play-doh, puzzles, rice table, and a craft table.  Once at their station, families would then have about seven to ten minutes to experience the activities in that station.  I would give a two and one minute warning before it was time to change to the next activity, and then families would receive a new card that matched one of the other stations.

I had the opportunity to observe several special education classrooms before planning this program, which helped inform my planning process for Sensory Storytime.  What I saw in those classrooms was very similar.  Children were grouped together at small tables around the room, and each table would involve a particular activity or lesson.  Then, when the child completed the lesson, he or she checked his individual picture schedule, received a new card, and moved on to their next activity. What I took away from this learning experience was that it was crucial to make sure appropriate structure was given to playtime.  Visual cues like picture cards and large group schedules, coupled with verbal and visual warnings when transition was going to occur helped support children in their play experience.  For a child with special needs, play–and all the social expectations that come with it–may not be something that comes as naturally.  Children with special need need structure, direction, and support with transitioning to different activities in a library program.  So, setting out a pile of toys  in the middle of a large room and ‘expecting’ children to ‘go and play’ may not be the right strategy with children with special needs.

One other thing I learned: not all toys are made equal.  Having a program like Sensory Storytime invited children with various kinds of special needs into the library.  I quickly learned that I needed to adapt activities to make them accessible to everyone, and I had to offer toys and manipulatives that could be used by children with various abilities.  Some children had ability to grasp; others didn’t.  Some children could manipulate a glue stick; others couldn’t.  I always had to be cognizant of the expectation I was setting up for children whenever I put out toys or an activity, and realized that offering variety was alway

Many of us working in public libraries don’t have a background in special education.  So, it can be challenging for us to know how best to approach and communicate with a child who has autism.  That’s where a partnership with your local school district can be extremely valuable.  Special education teachers in our district have been a huge resource for me in this area.  They have shared reading materials with me. They’ve given me tips.  They even had me into their schools to observe where I could see children with special needs and their teachers interact together in a classroom setting.  Adapted from a handout created by The Joint Library and just in time for Autism Awareness Month beginning April 1st, here are some customer service tips I’ve picked up along the way for interacting with a child with autism.

Speaking to a child with autism

• Address the child first, rather than considering the caregiver an intermediary
• Make eye contact, but know that the child may not make eye contact back with you
• Speak directly, slowly, and at a normal tone of voice
• Avoid broad open-ended questions, worrdy instructions, or figurative language
• Give choices when asking a question; ex. “Would you like to read a book, play on the computer, or find a CD?”
• Be patient and give time for language and information to be processed
• Provide a non-verbal way to communicate (pen and paper, picture communication board, or sign language interpreter)

Addressing behaviors

• Rocking, quiet humming, fidgeting, pacing, wiggling are behaviors that are not intrusive to other patrons and usually can be ignored
• Destructive activities, violent tantrums, loud or inappropriate interactions with other patrons are behaviors that should not be ignored
• Redirect attention away from the situation; ex. a quiet study room can help a child calm down if he is having a hard time
• Offer reassurance to other patrons who may be near the situation; ex. “Johnny is upset and is having a difficult day today.  All of us have hard days sometimes.”

Relationship building tips

• Be empathetic and offer assistance to the caregiver
• Avoid standing too close or touching the individual — they may have sensitivity to sensory input, like touch
• Give positive reinforcement; ex. ”I like how you are putting away the books, Johnny.  Good job!”
• Find out what the child likes and see if there is a way to use this to help him enjoy his visits to the library; ex. finding books on a particular subject or helping pass out materials during a program
• Remember that a person with autism is just another person in your library — help them find what they’re looking for as you would anybody else

Did you know that autism now affects on average 1 in every 88 children?  April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day.  Celebrate this global initiative and Light It Up Blue to help bring awareness to autism.  Ch

Perhaps you heard about it from a librarian friend.  Maybe you read SLJ’s glowing review.  You may have even watched the book trailer on Youtube.  Well, if you haven’t heard yet, you have now!  The world of kid lit is in a tizzy over R.J. Palacio’s first book Wonder.   I must thank fellow Dominican grad and ALSC guest blogger John for writing about this amazing book on his blog.  I’m so glad I read his post when I did…because when Wonder was first published, I knew I had to get my hands on it as soon as possible.  I also knew that I wanted to share this book with everyone in our fantastic ALSC community….and not just because it’s a story about a boy with a special need.  It’s SO much more than that.

Auggie is a 5th grade boy who has been homeschooled his entire life.  Born with a cleft palate and other facial anomalies, Auggie endured many surgeries throughout his childhood.  So, his parents decided the best thing for him would be to be schooled at home.  Until now.  His parents think that he’s ready to start middle school, and after some resistance, Auggie comes around to the idea too.  Deep down, he feels like an ordinary boy, but wishes the rest of the world–especially the kids at his new school–would see him that way.  On his first day, some of his new classmates give him a tour around the school.  Auggie thinks that he’s made a new friend in one of the kids, a boy named Jack.  He even finds a friend to sit with during lunch.  It seems that this transition might be not so bad.  But on Halloween when he overhears a conversation between Jack and a few other boys, Auggie realizes this friendship may not be at all what he thought it was.  And school no longer seems like the right place for him.

From page one, Palacio puts you right in Auggie’s shoes.  You experience his world through his eyes.  You see how others look at him.  You feel what he’s feeling.  And you laugh when he laughs.  That’s what surprised me the most about this book–there are some moments that are down-right hysterical.  Typical middle school humor. What this book has that many others don’t have is heart.  The book is divided into 8 sections, alternating between different characters telling the story from different points of view.  First Auggie, then his sister Via, then Auggie’s friends, then Via’s friends, then back to Auggie again.  Each different voice deepens your understanding of Auggie and the impact his presence has within his family and in the school community.  The chapters are extremely short, but that quickens the pace of the book.  You want to keep turning the page right until the very end.  It’s heart-breaking and hopeful at the same time.

Wonder draws you in and doesn’t let you go, the way a great book should.  No wonder #thewonderofwonder is trending on Twitter.  Check out this book and join the conversation.  You won’t be sorry that you did.  A must read.

For more books about children told from their unique perspective, check out these books:

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