Topic 6: The Library as a Place for Socialization and Skill Improvement

Libraries have always been places of recreation, socialization, and learning for all patrons. Using the library as a resource for adults with autism and other disabilities provides socialization and skill improvement for this underserved population. Does your library have a plan for serving people with disabilities? If not, Renee Grassi of the Dakota County Minnesota Library System offers the following strategies for you to get started:

Define your goals:

• Why did you decide to improve service to this population?
• Has there been an increase in special education students in your component school district?
• Are you revising your strategic plan?

Don't forget, that whatever your goals are, make it known to everyone that libraries provide access for all patrons.

Train your staff:

• Everyone from the circulation desk to the director should have the customer service tools to serve patrons "effectively and inclusively" (Grassi, 2017).
• Identify local disability awareness groups and schedule them to come into your library to provide disability-friendly customer service trainings.
• Check for online learning opportunities - check the Association for Library Service to Children ALSC for webinars. Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) provides a for-purchase module-based Accessibility Academy series.
• Consider making use of JJ's List, a communications and marketing social enterprise that helps businesses meet the needs of customers or employees with disabilities by incorporating disability-aware marketing, customer service and employment best practices into core business strategies, by providing meaningful career paths in communications, technology and digital marketing to people with disabilities at the same time.

Assess the Environment

• Examine the census data for your area.
  • Census data can provide specific demographic data for your area.
• The 2010 US Census states that 19 percent of the population had a disability.
• Collaborate with your local school district.
  • Identify their population and their needs
• What services are provided by local disability-related organizations?
• If you can't gather what you need, consider creating a community-wide survey or host a forum on inclusion at the library.

Form Relationships

• All patrons are essential to the library.
• Be transparent in your goals, if you want to improve services for patrons with disabilities, make that clear to your patrons and ask for their input.
• Ask stakeholders how you can improve. What are we doing well? How can we improve?

Assess your Library

• Does your space accommodate diverse needs and abilities?
• Use the ADA Library Accessibility Checklist to ensure your space is compliant with their standards.
• Be sure to create sensory friendly spaces for patrons with ASD:
  • Lighting, sound issues, decor and color, and signage
• Determine if your space embraces Universal Design (UD) specs - spaces and products designed for use by anyone. UD encompasses a wide range of abilities and characteristics, such as age, language, culture (Grassi, 2017).
• Adopt a staff member whose specialty embraces UD principles and who can perform a needs assessment for your library.
• You may also want to Utilize The ALA Career Development Resource Guide for further assistance.

Scenario: After completing the ADA Library Accessibility Checklist you find that your library is not compliant. What steps do you take to communicate that to your stakeholders, and what is your plan to comply in a timely and cost-efficient manner?

Programming

• Work towards programming for all patrons that incorporate UD principles.
  • Provide programs such as budgeting for independent living, adult coloring for relaxation, learning to boil water (basic cooking techniques)
  • Gaming groups for young adults
  • How to create a resume, cover letter, interview for young adults
• Create "buddy" or mentor programs - pair young adults without knowledge or experience in cooking, with a young adult that has experience with cooking.
• Create some programs aimed at people with ASD and market them to everyone, for example, Friday night dance party, container gardening, blackout poetry, and book clubs.

Does your library have what it needs to be inviting to patrons with ASD? If you want to encourage adults with ASD to volunteer and employ them in the library, be sure to let them know what you have to offer. Provide an Accommodation Request Form (samples can be found here) to see what your patrons need to create successful library experiences. If you have patrons who are not ready to visit the library, can you provide home delivery of materials? Some patrons need assistance with communication, provide visual support for communication such as "library-themed social stories or visual choice boards" (Grassi, 2017). Examples provided by Libraries and Autism can be found here. Visual choice boards are effective ways to help limited or non-speaking students communicate with peers and adults and they can provide a set of instructional steps, for example, how to check out a library book. Several examples and video tutorials can be found from the Geneva, funded by the Government of Ontario. Advertise on your library webpage available services that make your library accessible for patrons with disabilities.

Assess what types of assistive technology are available for patrons to access technology in your library. ASCLA provides this Tip Sheet for libraries evaluating their assistive/adaptive technology.

References

Grassi, R. (2017, February). Libraries for all: Expanding services to people with disabilities. Retrieved from https://www.ila.org/publications/ila-reporter/article/55/libraries-for-all-expanding-services-to-people-with-disabilities