As a librarian, I would of course like to make the library I work at accessible for as many people as possible.

How can I make the library more welcoming for children and adults with autism?

Feedback from parents with autistic children would be great - are you inclined to take your autistic child to the local library? What encourages or discourages you to visit the library?

Thanks!

Hi Jennifer,

I am a speech therapist and don't have any experience in making libraries more accessible, but I have worked with individuals on the autistic spectrum. I would imagine libraries are an ideal place for individuals with autism, because its quiet and they can sit and look at books with no one bothering them. As long as there is a quiet area, with not too much bright sun light (for sensory sensitivities), I am not sure how much more you can do. I suppose having patience as a librarian and being helpful is also a must, but that's an obvious statement.

If you are thinking about accessibility for other people with communication disorders, I suppose an easy guide map to the different sections would be good for those with brain injury. Visual signs along with the written sign might help some people. Obvious access to talking books might also important.

Hope that helped a little, be interesting to hear what other people thought?

Cheers Sarah