2020-04-10 SPLAT Curiosity Report: Volume 5, Issue 6
Featured Story
Editor’s Note: The Idaho Commission for Libraries has launched a new webpage just for you! ICfL’s COVID-19 Resources for Libraries has sections based on questions our staff has received, and information and resources the ICfL wants to make sure you’re aware of.
Serving Patrons with Autism Spectrum Disorder
I recently completed the Library Juice Academy class Library Resources and Services for Patrons on the Autism Spectrum, taught by Dawn Behrend. The class covered what Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is and how libraries can best serve patrons on the autism spectrum through services, spaces, programming, and collaborations. So, what is ASD? It is defined by difficulties in social interactions, communication (both verbal and non verbal), and patterns of repetitive behavior. For more information, check out the ASD Fact Sheet through the National Institutes of Health. How can we best serve our patrons on the autism spectrum? There are many websites and books that discuss this topic, but my top three takeaways from the class were:
- Be clear in your communication. This entails not using sarcasm or humor when speaking with a patron with ASD as well as not relying too much on gestures and social cues. If you are trying to de-escalate a situation with a patron, be clear about what the library’s rules are, as well as your own boundaries. This will often clear up many conflicts.
- Use visuals. Post signs with rules, color code spaces or signs, and make it clear who is an employee. Many of the tenets of Universal Design for Libraries make libraries a more welcoming space for this with ASD. Check out ALA’s Checklist for Universal Design for more ideas.
- Create programming for patrons with ASD. This could include sensory storytimes for children, or including a social learning component for patrons on any age. Something I want to try is partnering with a group to bring awareness about ASD to my larger community– April is Autism Awareness Month so that might be a good time to try something.
It’s important to support our patrons and community members who are neurodiverse- hopefully these ideas make that support seem a little less daunting!
– Jessica Martinez, University of Idaho Library
Fail Forward
We’ve all been there. You pour your heart into a program, and no one shows up. You try something new, and you fall on your face. Sound familiar? Fail Forward is the place to share your failures, and give you the opportunity to share what you learned from them. Did you promote your program in a different way after no one showed up? Maybe you took a new approach to the new thing you were excited about? Awesome! Share your story via our online form so others can learn, and realize that failure is often part of the process.
A Work in Progress is Not a Failure
I have recently been contemplating several projects that both myself and a few of my co-workers have been working on that some people might consider failed attempts, but I am going to think of as a work in progress. Two of these examples have to do with keeping statistics. I have been responsible for sorting patron suggestion cards for purchasing materials for the library for about 4 years now. At the end of last year I thought it would be interesting to keep statistics on which collections received the most suggestions – adult fiction, young adult fiction, children’s fiction, adult non-fiction. I found that while it was an interesting bit of information to collect it ended up adding more to my workload than I needed at the time. I decided to drop this part of the project because it was such an unnecessary addition. I have a co-worker who has found herself in a similar position. She recently acquired the project of changing the status of new adult fiction to regular adult fiction. She had started keeping a spreadsheet to see what items were no longer new and she also wanted to track what genres were checking out the most – fantasy, thrillers, mysteries, romance, etc. Our supervisor thought that this was also a bit more information and an unnecessary burden to add to her new project workload. While some people might call these failures, I think it is better to think of our ongoing projects as works in progress. We should never be afraid to try something new and then be willing to drop pieces along the way if they don’t quite work out the way we wanted.
– Jackie Wood, Marshall Public Library
Crush Corner
Is there a library you follow on social media who is always doing new and exciting things? How about a blog you follow that inspires you? What about a new idea, book, or resource that you want to share? Library Crush Corner is a place for those working in Idaho libraries to share what inspires them, and who or what they’re crushing on… in a professional sense. Share your story via our online form so we can publish it in a future issue!
The Little Log Library
I’m a little bit of a I-love-historical-nostalgic-things kinda person and I really enjoyed learning a little history while searching this library’s website.
Nestled deep in the mountains near a large alpine lake there is a small library. Priest Lake Library, also known as the Little Log Library, opened its doors to the public in 1974. This young library, by comparison, has an interesting history. The Little Log Library started out as a schoolhouse in 1934 with a budget of $60 to purchase the lumber. Local residents took over the construction project and completed the building. It was one of the last log cabin school houses built in Idaho. A new school was built in 1961, and so this little log cabin remained housing for teachers until the Priest River Public Library was established in 1973. The library moved into the log cabin and in 1999 was placed on the National Historic Register, preserving the building for local history.
This hidden gem of a library has provided numerous services and materials to the rural community of Priest Lake and the surrounding area, including ebooks, wifi, and 3D printing, as well as a variety of programs for the community. They encourage patrons and visitors to learn and enjoy the history of their namesake, the Little Log Library.
– Vanessa Thiele, East Bonner County Library District
SPLAT explores the ever-evolving library world and supports library folks as they adapt to meet the needs of their communities. Library folk throughout the state of Idaho volunteer to serve on the Special Projects Library Action Team (SPLAT). Learn more about SPLAT at splat.lili.org
SPLAT is brought to you by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and was made possible, in part, by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (LS-00-19-0013-19). The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.