Programming for Adults with Special Needs Workshop

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     The workshop I attended was “Programming for Adults with Special Needs” at the Texas Library Association conference on Friday April 6, 2018. The speakers that presented were Olivia Griggs from W.W. Harrison Public Library, Lisa Smant from Arlington Public Library and Joyce Uliah from Denison Public Library. The goal of the workshop was to give librarians ideas for incorporating engaging programs for adults with special needs in their library. The speakers will present the way they are networking with other partnerships in the community to help these patrons build skills, make friends and expand their knowledge. The workshop began with Joyce Uliah who explained Next Chapter Book Club program which is a non-profit organization that helps plan book clubs for special need patrons. You can purchase materials and ideas from them to begin a book club. Olivia Griggs spoke next about Step Out to Step In program which pairs up with medical facilities in the community who brings these patrons to the library for an arts and craft time and a book club weekly. The caretakers help with these programs for the safety of the patrons and the staff. Last, Lisa Smant spoke about how her library created a Disability Committee to make sure their library is creating a safe and enjoyable place for patrons with special needs. She explained how they talked to the community members in the area to get an idea of how to better serve the special needs patrons. They also included special needs patrons being able to volunteer in the library. They started have programming in the group homes for these patrons rather than them having to come to them. Also, the library included programs for caregivers through partnership with National Federate of the Blind for vision exams, Alzheimer’s Association and Parental Support for New Diagnosis. 

My overall thoughts about this workshop was very positive. I left with great ideas about how to better serve the disabled patrons in the community by making the library an enjoyable place. This includes providing programming that creates a creative and fun environment while also educating the public and caregivers about special needs and disabilities. This workshop was a great way to get ideas and collaborate with other librarians that wanted to better serve patrons with special needs. They gave great insight into how they started these programs, some of the ideas that failed and other that succeeded. It gave great ideas about going to the patrons in their care homes if they aren’t able to come to the library. This workshop shows that we can always be working together to find ways to better serve our community. We can work with other organizations in the area or work with caregivers to create a library that can be used by all citizens. 

Citation: Griggs, O. Smant, L. and Uliah, J. (2018, April 6). Programming for Adults with Special Needs. Seminar presented at the Texas Library Conference, Dallas, TX. 

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