Creating Autism-Friendly Libraries with Sunshine & Stories

What is Sunshine & Stories?

Sunshine & Stories is a Colorado State Library (CSL) podcast dedicated to all things public and school libraries. Our podcast aims to offer fresh insights, as well as spark creative and practical ideas for diverse public & school library settings. Whether you’re a veteran in the library world, a newbie looking for a little professional support, or someone who’s considering shaking things up in your library (a little or a lot), we hope this podcast will be a valuable resource for you. 

Ep. 202 Creating Autism-Friendly Libraries Through Sensory Audits:

Episode Summary:

Kate Compton and Suzi Tonini chat with Gloria Perez Alvarez and Terri Faulkner from Jefferson County Public Library about their innovative sensory audit process for creating autism-friendly library spaces. Discover how they’re partnering with local autism organizations to evaluate everything from parking lots to programming, and learn practical tips for making your own library more welcoming to neurodivergent patrons. (Full transcript available here.) 

00:00 – Introduction 
01:00 – Inspiration for conducting sensory audits 
05:09 – How to conduct a sensory audit 
08:52 – Lessons learned from sensory audits 
13:06 – Ideas for low-cost and/or easy-to-implement accommodations 
15:30 – How to build staff’s awareness of the need for sensory accommodations 
18:42 – Feedback from patrons about sensory-friendly improvements 
24:02 – Advice for librarians on how to get started with creating a sensory-friendly library 

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Resources:

Autism Community Store 
Autism Is Welcome Here: The Access Approach to Inclusion (webinar) 
Autism Society of Colorado 
Bridges Learning Systems (curriculum for neurodivergent youth) 
Firefly Autism 
Sensory Friendly Space Checklist (Bridges Learning System) 
Sensory Accessibility Checklist (Association of Children’s Museums) 
Sensory Accessibility Checklist (Autism Community Store) 
Sensory materials toolkit 

Contact CSL School Library Leadership Consultant, Suzi Tonini, at [email protected] with any follow-up questions or requests for additional resources related to this episode.

Colorado State Library projects like this one are funded in part by the Grants to States program administered by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the Colorado State Library, Institute of Museum and Library Services, or the U.S. Government.