Topic 5: What is Already Being Done?

To know if you are repeating a service that may already exist, you must know what is being done on both the local and national level. To check out local organizations near you visit the Autism Speaks Community and Support Network database that was mentioned earlier, which provides a list of ASD related organizations in your area. Remember to also check school districts and businesses that may have connections with the ASD community but may not be listed as an official organization.

The Targeting Autism white paper offers a national list of initiatives that have embraced the connection between ASD and libraries.

• Libraries and Autism: We're Connected
  • "We're Connected is a model New Jersey program that began in 2008 with the support of IMLS grant funds. Developed by the late Meg Kolaya, director of the Scotch Plains Public Library, and Dan Weiss, director of the Fanwood Public Library, the program was designed to help patrons with ASD have a more comfortable and positive library experience. In addition to ongoing outreach efforts and onsite training sessions, Kolaya and Weiss developed a customer service video to help library staff understand and better serve the ASD community" (Schriar, 2017, p.6).
• Project ENABLE (Expanding Non-Discriminatory Access by Librarians Everywhere):
  • "is an IMLS- funded project created in 2011, led by Dr. Ruth Small and a team from the Center for Digital Literacy, the School of Information Studies, and the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University. Project Enable began as an initiative to provide in-depth training to school librarians on ways to provide appropriate and effective library and information programs and services to students with disabilities. The need for wider distribution of this training resulted in the development of freely accessible online, self-paced training modules. Public and academic libraries are also targeted to receive the training" (Schriar, 2017, p. 6).
• Panhandle Autism Library Services (PALS) aka Project PALS:
  • "This IMLS-funded project out of Florida State University is led by Dr. Nancy Everhart, School of Library and Information Studies, working with colleagues at the Autism Institute at the College of Medicine. Beginning in 2013 as an education program to improve information services for rural patrons with ASD, Project PALS has since expanded their scope nationwide. PALS currently provides an online, self-paced course intended for librarians and library staff wishing to learn how to better serve their users on the autism spectrum. The project PALS course is freely available on WebJunction" (Schriar, 2017, p. 6).
• Special Needs and Inclusive Library Services (SNAILS):
  • "As a networking group, formed in 2013 by two suburban Illinois public library youth services librarians, Renee Grassi and Holly Jin, the mission of SNAILS is to expand and improve library services for children and young adults with all types of disabilities, including ASD. More than 40 public libraries in the Chicago area meet quarterly to exchange ideas and expertise, and to create programming and services in their libraries, fulfilling their shared purpose" (Schriar, 2017, p. 7).

Reference

Schriar, S., Foerster, P., & Pelich, M. Targeting Autism. (2017). Libraries partnering to serve

the autism community: National forums offer direction. Retrieved from

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/libraries/pdfs/targeting-autism-whitepaper.pdf.