Special Needs and Inclusive Library Services (SNAILS)

Chicago-area locals Mike Berkson and Tim Wambach have been friends for 17 years, and for the last eight they've been touring the nation presenting Handicap This! , an inspirational comedy that challenges stereotypes, breaks down barriers, and sends a message of inclusion where judgement is not allowed. Mike was born with cerebral palsy and is an organizer of the Keep on Keeping On Foundation to assist people with physical disabilities. When Tim was in his twenties, he was hired to be Mike's one-on-one aide, and they immediately hit it off. On stage, the pair shares an authentic snippets of their friendship and of what it's like to live with a disability. It is fitting that the final farewell performance will be at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, which is where is all started eight years ago. Help Mike and Tim achieve their big dream of performing to a full house on Friday, November 9 at 8:00pm .  Get tickets to the final performance, and save ...

EveryLibrary  has announced a new partnership with the  American Association of People with Disabilities  (AAPD)  to bring National Disability Voter Registration Week  (NDVRW)   2017 to libraries across the country. NDVRW 2017 takes place July 17-21 and is AAPD's second annual program to make voter registration services for people with disabilities easier and more pervasive. Your library can sign on to to participate through programming, outreach, public education, and voter registration partnerships or on-site services this summer by  adding your library to this list  on the EveryLibrary Action site. All partner libraries that include their business address will receive a free digital resource kit to promote NDVRW 2017 in their communities. According to their website, "EveryLibrary is joining NDVRW 2017 to bring libraries across the country into this new partnership to reach all Americans who are eligible to vote. NDVRW supports voter en...

This guest post was written by Cate Loveday, Youth Services Associate at Helen Plum Memorial Library .  She will graduate in May, 2015 with her MLIS from Dominican University.  Cate recently attended the 2015 ALA Midwinter Conference in Chicago, Illinois and shares her takeaways from that learning experience.  Thank you, Cate, for sharing such a valuable message! We are Accessibility Advocates for all of our patrons.  Everyone who comes into the library should be able to have access to the materials and programs they need. I realize we understand this, but sometimes it can be challenging to put into the right words.  While I was at ALA Midwinter and attended the Leadership & ALSC meeting, I was able to hear Jenna Nemec-Loise from Everyday Advocacy speak about the benefits of using VBL (Value Based Language) when talking about the services we provide. The idea around VBL is that it shifts the focus away from the program and puts emphasis on th...