Topic 3: Print Material, Games, and Toys

Children with autism may gravitate toward books that offer a variety of sensory experiences. As Lesley Farmer (2014) explains, "Print resources vary surprisingly in how they stimulate the senses, and they can accommodate differences in sensory experiences" (p.51). In your collection, provide books that include a variety of textures. These sensory books can include sandpaper, fur, feathers, crinkly materials, etc. Books that appeal to the other senses such as scratch-and-sniff books and books that have audio features such as interactive readers that play sounds when different buttons are depressed would be excellent choices for the print book collection.

Farmer advises librarians to make print items more accessible to children with autism in the following ways:

• Stabilize: Attach books or materials to a steady surface. Choose books with spiral or other lay-flat bindings.
• Enlarge: Enlarge texts and pictures to make them easier to see. Provide books with thicker pages for easier turning. Laminates can be added to thicken pages.
• Add parts: Add clips to the edges of pages for easier turning.
• Simplify: Offer a version of the book with less text.
• Make more familiar and/or concrete: Choose books that have photographs instead of illustrations.
• Add cues: Attach multisensory materials to books.
• Add texture: Use flannel boards, or add fuzzy fur for a bear story or cotton balls for a story about clouds, for example.
• Add realia: Provide objects that fit with a story, such as a stuffed toy or musical instrument.

How youth with ASDs process sensory information also helps librarians determine which format of a relevant resource to use. For instance, if a child has trouble with sound, then visual sources such as photographs and books are better choices than audiobooks. For some youth with ASDs, still images are easier to comprehend than moving pictures, so librarians should avoid videos in favor of photographs" (Farmer, 2014, p. 52).

Library collections should include accessible resources (digital, tangible, and in print) that will capture the interest of all of their users, including those with autism and can be useful in developing personal skills. Having all of these items available is the first step, of course. Librarians and library staff will also need to form relationships with their patrons and become familiar with the unique needs and interests of individuals in order to make the best recommendations from the collection.

References

Farmer, L. J. (2014). Library Services for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Chicago: ALA Editions.