Special Needs and Inclusive Library Services (SNAILS)

Who was able to attend Targeting Autism in May? It was a great two days, crammed full of wonderful presentations. Most of the presenters were autistic, sharing their experiences and stories. If you missed it, they were able to film most of the presentations and have uploaded most of them onto their webpage. Targeting Autism 2019 video presentations The statement that summarized the whole forum for me came from Lei Wiley-Mydske:  When schools, communities, etc are not inclusive and/or accessible, it says it’s okay to exclude certain people. Our society excludes people every day, and we as librarians need to actively work against this. A few things came up in almost every presentation by autistic presenters: **AVOID FUNCTIONAL LABELS. “Low functioning” means strengths are minimized and “high functioning” means needs and weaknesses aren’t prioritized. High functioning labels are used to deny support, and low labels are used to deny agency. Labels don’t effectively des...

The Illinois State Library is currently accepting registrations for the third Targeting Autism Forum , to be held at the Illinois State Library, in Springfield, Illinois, on May 11-12, 2017 . The Illinois State Library was awarded two grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to help libraries better serve patrons and family members impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Phase I, Targeting Autism: A National Forum on Serving Library Patrons on the Spectrum received funding through an IMLS National Leadership Grant. Through two stakeholder forums, this phase of the project – was designed to explore how libraries can work with diverse community organizations and programs to increase their role in supporting patrons and family members impacted by ASD. Phase II of the project, now underway – Targeting Autism: A Comprehensive Training and Education Program for Librarians is funded through an IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant to de...

It's that time of year when members of the Illinois Library Association convene to network with colleagues, discover innovative strategies to apply to librarianship, and learn about new resources on the exhibit floor! For those of you traveling to Rosemont for the 2016 ILA Annual Conference , you might be interested in the following meetings and sessions focused on topics of accessibility and serving people with disabilities in libraries.  For more information about other programs and sessions at this conference, consult the Conference Schedule available here . Becoming a Dementia-Friendly Library: Serving Patrons with Dementia Tuesday, October 18 at 10:45 am Libraries can be a vital part of the Dementia Friendly America initiative that is sweeping the nation. Find out how Illinois libraries are already engaging people with dementia. Our presentation will include a brief overview on dementia, presented by the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter.  It will also ...

This guest blog post is written by Carli Spina, Head Librarian for Assessment and Outreach at Boston College Libraries . She has extensive experience working on web design and technology projects as well as serving as a coordinator for services to patrons with disabilities. She has taught classes and workshops for librarians, academic staff, and students on a range of topics, including accessibility and web design. Visit Carli's website at http://carlispina.com . Last month, I had the opportunity to talk to the SNAILS Group about Universal Design and how it can be applied to library spaces, programs, and services. Universal Design , a term coined by Ronald Mace , refers to design processes that take into account the needs of all potential users, including those with disabilities, elderly people, individuals who do not speak the dominant local language, and more. It goes beyond typical approaches to accessibility because it is not focused on minimum legal standards or se...

If you are headed to Orlando this month and are interested in learning about accessibility, inclusion, and serving people with disabilities, check out the list of ALA Conference programs below! ASCLA 101 Saturday, June 25 at 10:30 am Rosen Centre, Room Salon 01/02 ASCLA is a small but mighty division! With more than 800 members national and worldwide, ASCLA is home to library consultants, and those that work in state, public, government, prison, and special libraries and cooperatives. Come meet some of our members and hear what they have to say about ASCLA and our diverse Interest Groups and volunteer opportunities. Universal Accessibility Interest Group Meeting Saturday, June 25 at 1 pm Orange County Convention Center, Room W309 Joint ACRL / ASCLA / LITA working group where members work together on projects related to making all kinds of libraries and library services accessible for users with disabilities. We Need Diverse Books and More: Multiple Diversities Cap...