The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies, ASCLA, has a wealth of accessibility information on their website in the form of tips sheets. Each tip sheet is just a few pages long and contains basic information to help librarians in all types of libraries understand and manage access issues. Select a tip sheet below to view.
Assistive Technology
Autism & Spectrum Disorders
Children with Disabilities
Deaf & Hard of Hearing
Developmental Disabilities
Learning Disabilities
Most librarians are familiar with the challenges of reaching teens through programming; they have busy school schedules, may forget about programs, and many tend to be introverted. The Programming Librarian recently posted an intriguing article, Reaching Teens Subversively Through Passive Programming, by Kelly Jensen and Jackie Parker. In the article, the authors discuss the idea of planting “subversive” or “passive” programming for teens to discover as they use the library. Some examples of passive programming include book displays that highlight books for fans of a popular television show accompanied by word searches, puzzles, or trivia about the show; QR code scavenger hunts; origami or any small craft project that can be left on a table and doesn’t need instruction. Passive programming requires very little time or money while engaging teens in a unique experience each time they visit the library. Check out this article and much more at the Programming Librarian.
In a world where it seems at times that there is more tragedy than good, people sometimes turn to books for comfort and understanding. A recent article from Galleycat highlights books and online resources to help families explain tragedy to children. Another article from The Guardian’s Helen Humphreys lists her top ten books on grieving and how each book can relate to different types of grief experiences. Perhaps, having the right book at a very wrong time is just what is needed to make things a little bit easier.