Here are some practical programming ideas that have worked well for us that can be implemented in your library. Of course, not everything will work well for every library, but with some experimentation and perseverance you'll find things that are effective for you. At our workshops we've been brainstorming ideas with other librarians, and we're including them here as well. Please send us your ideas so we can share them with everyone!

   Next Chapter Book Club This tremendously rewarding program has been a big success at the Scotch Plains library. Unlike other book clubs, the Next Chapter Book Club (NCBC) provides adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to read and learn to read, talk about books, and make friends in a fun, community setting. The Scotch Plains group meets weekly at the local Panera's. For more information and to get your library involved check out their website at: www.nextchapterbookclub.org

   This is My Library book - This downloadable book (available on our Resources page) was originally meant to be used as a social story to help introduce kids to your library. While it works quite effectively for that purpose we have found many other uses for it. Since it is so easily customized, you could use it to 'teach' the rules for storytimes, or the expected behaviors in the Children's area, or even in the adult or young adult department to gently deliver a set of rules or policies.

   Group SPIRIT! This family-centered autism support group outgrew their original meeting space in someone's home and now meets at the library. The benefits to both the group, which has grown from just a few families to over 50, and the library are many. The library provides the space, and the group takes care of their own programming (special needs legal advocates, family entertainment and more), refreshments and even baby-sitting. They solicit interns from the Child Development program at a local communtiy college and while the parents get some time to themselves the students get hands on experience with the kids. Their FLYER states that, "as parents, guardians and caregivers, our task is to protect and provide for our children. But as parents of children with autism, we have unique and challenging demands placed upon us and can always use more support and understanding."

   Family Programming Rather than aiming at and limiting to a certain age group, try programs that appeal to the whole family. As an example, the Scotch Plains library used this approach recently with their Lincoln Log-a-Thon that recreated Lincoln’s rural boyhood village of Little Pigeon Creek, Indiana entirely in Lincoln Logs! Community members were invited to build the log cabins, farms, general store, meeting house, school, and mills that made up the small rural community in Lincoln’s time. Families with children in first grade through high school participated and this program attracted families and individuals of all ages and abilities and allowed for some wonderful interaction in a library setting

   Autism Family Tours This is an offshoot of Group Spirit. They strive to provide customized, therapeutic, educational and recreational programs for children on the spectrjm and their immediate family members and concentrate on strengthening the family unit by offering support programs and respite to caregivers and siblings. They offer horseback riding, yoga, bike riding, swimming with dolphins, and more. This idea of family based tours (or programs or adventures) could be adapted and utlized by a library on a smaller, local approach. See more about them at: www.autismfamilytours.org

   After Hours Programming - A librarian at a workshop in MA told us that they've been successful with programming specifically for special needs kids and their families by opening the library at night just for that event. It allows for a certain comfort level and it can be a great way for families to interact with each other. Adrienne Robertiello (one of our partners in the training film) used the same approach at a local Toys R Us. They agreed to open one evening especially for families in the autism community. There was a large crowd and experts were on hand from local agencies to help guide family members to appropriate toys. The kids and their families had a great time and, needless to say, Toys R Us was happy too.

   Digital Cameras - Another engaging programming suggestion from MA was to hand out digital cameras and then create some kind of display of the work they do, whether online or hard-copy in the library. This would appeal to a wide range of ages and speaks to the appeal of photographic images to those on the spectrum.

   Programming for Children with Special Needs - Part 1. These excellent tips (detailed in a series of articles by Tricia Bohanon Twarogowski in the ALSC blog) are from training videos developed by a few librarians at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, with help from the Autism Society’s North Carolina chapter, that include detailed information on how to present rhythm-and-rhyme storytimes for children on the spectrum. The videos, narrated by Emily Nanney, children’s services manager at South County Regional Library, and Ms. Twarogowski, children’s services manager at the Matthews Branch, offer hands-on advice on how to carry out special needs programs and the importance of making all children’s programs inclusive. The videos also offer practical tips, such as making sure to reserve an extra 30 minutes after storytime so parents can socialize, because, oftentimes, busy schedules packed with doctor’s visits and therapy sessions can make it hard to do so with other caregivers like themselves. See Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5