Neurodiverse patrons will soon have more support and access to resources at Western’s Leslie J. Savage Library thanks to a $10,000 grant from the American Library Association (ALA). The grant is part of the ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities initiative, which funds improvements aimed at making the library more inclusive and responsive to the needs of its users. Western’s Leslie J. Savage Library was one of 300 small and rural libraries in 44 states selected to receive funding.“Libraries are hubs for academic inquiry, social connection and everything in between,” Tiffanie Wick, director of Library Services, said. “Through strategic planning, our team identified opportunities to enhance how we support the diverse ways people engage with and experience library spaces and services. With generous support from the American Library Association’s Libraries Transforming Communities grant, we can deepen this work through expanding inclusive practices and advancing equitable access for all Leslie J. Savage Library users.”As part of the program, library staff will host a series of public listening sessions to hear directly from users, including individuals with cognitive or sensory processing differences. Feedback from those sessions will guide physical space modifications, new resources and staff training.Initial ideas proposed in the grant application include:
• Creating sensory-friendly areas with adapted lighting and furniture
• Offering sensory toolkits for checkout
• Updating library materials to better reflect disability topics, especially neurodiversity
• Expanding staff training on identifying and eliminating barriers to access
According to Wick, the initiative also emerged from a broader recognition of previously underserved groups, including students who are also caregivers at home. “This work is about meeting people where they are and ensuring that our spaces, resources and services are accessible, inclusive and responsive,” she said. Leslie J. Savage Library, which serves both the Western campus and the Gunnison Valley community, is committed to providing an opportunity for all library users to feel accommodated and welcomed. Community conversations will begin this summer, and the library plans to roll out enhancements in the months to follow. For more information or to participate in an upcoming listening session, contact twick@western.edu.(Seth Mensing is the media and communications manager at Western Colorado University.)
Leslie J. Savage Library first floor interior
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