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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">If you are using your Ready to Read grant to pay for early literacy activities, then you might be interested in the following article about an inclusive play group at a public library. You
may use Ready to Read grant funds to pay for the equipment, supplies, and everything else to offer a program like this at your library… as long as the program is for 0-6 year olds.—Katie
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> noreply+feedproxy@google.com [mailto:noreply+feedproxy@google.com]
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 14, 2017 4:17 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Katie Anderson <KatieAnderson@oslmail.osl.state.or.us><br>
<b>Subject:</b> ALSC Blog<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<a name="1"></a><a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AlscBlog/~3/r6TWknHLMRQ/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#000099;text-decoration:none">Everybody Plays! Welcoming All Abilities
to the Library</span></b></a> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#555555">Posted: 14 Sep 2017 09:01 AM PDT<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="line-height:140%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">It’s Everybody Plays day at
<a href="http://www.simsburylibrary.info/"><b><span style="color:#000099;text-decoration:none">Simsbury Public Library
</span></b></a>in Connecticut, and I stop for a moment to look around our large program room. Children and adults are trying out the balance path, playing at the train table, digging their hands into the rice bin, and rolling a ball through the tunnel into
the play tent. One little one in particular has his curly head bent over the sensory table, which holds lots of different kinds of beans today. It’s just him and his mom this time, though sometimes his birth to three service provider accompanies him to playgroup.
There’s another friend also playing with the beans and a disagreement has arisen: one little one wants to meticulously fill each compartment of the ice cube tray with beans, while the other wants to scoop and dump. Their grown-ups are helping in the negotiations
and, though it’s getting a little vocal, they know it’s okay. Everybody Plays is a judgement-free zone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:140%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">We all hope our libraries are welcoming for all sorts of children and families, but the truth is that the average public library children’s space
can be very challenging for children with special needs and their caregivers. I’m speaking here not only as a library professional, but also as the parent of a child with ASD (autism spectrum disorder). Bright lights and busy spaces threaten sensory overload;
programs aren’t always well-suited to youngsters with developmental differences or physical challenges; other patrons and even staff members aren’t always understanding of unusual behaviors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:140%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black"><img border="0" width="300" height="169" id="_x0000_i1026" src="http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/SensoryTable-300x169.jpg" alt="Everybody Plays at a Sensory Table">Hoping
to make SPL more accessible to children with special needs and motivated by the announcement of the Autism Welcome Here Grant sponsored by Libraries and Autism, I created the Everybody Plays program, an inclusive playgroup that features sensory play, social
skills practice, fine and gross motor skill development and community building. It’s intentionally well-suited for children with special needs, but it’s open to all children birth to five, because we want to build understanding and appreciation for differences
and because there’s a lot that kids with special needs and typical peers can learn from each other.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:140%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">Everybody Plays has been running for a year now, welcoming an average of forty children and caregivers to the library twice a month for an hour
of fun. Here are the most important things I’ve learned in that year:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:48.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:140%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
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</span></span></span><![endif]><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">Community connections are key.</span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">
Start by asking stakeholders (families of children with special needs, service providers, educators) how the library can best serve them. Then, build your program based on that feedback. Seek out collaborators: our local birth to three autism service provider
and special needs PTO have been vital partners in Everybody Plays, and even the town police department sent an officer to a session of the playgroup in order to allow children to overcome any fears they might have of police officers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><![endif]><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">Get your staff on board.
</span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">A program for special needs families is great, but it’s not going to lead to greater general library use if the people families encounter at the library
are not well-informed and understanding of their needs. Training the whole staff of your library will make your colleagues feel more confident in serving patrons with special needs and will create a more positive experience for both staff and patrons. Local
organizations that serve and advocate for special needs populations are often able to offer training.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:48.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:140%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:Wingdings;color:black"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">Keep it predictable.
</span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">Children with special needs thrive on routine. Changes and transitions can be very challenging. Keep the structure of your program simple and predictable
and repeat most elements at every session. It’s also helpful to be mindful of your physical space — adjustable lighting, doors that can close for noise-control in both directions, and a quiet corner for recovering from meltdowns are all helpful.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">It doesn’t have to cost a lot.</span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">
The funding I received from the Autism Welcome Here Grant allowed me to purchase some really cool toys and equipment for Everybody Plays (and I do love my cool toys!), but I like to tell folks that all I would really need is two rice bins. Seriously — an underbed
box full of rice and a few buttons and measuring cups can keep a bunch of preschoolers focused and happy for a really long time. What’s really important is a welcoming attitude and a willingness to learn.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:140%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">What’s the payoff of a program like Everybody Plays?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:140%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">Well, remember our curly-haired friend playing in the beans? At the first meeting of the playgroup, he refused to enter the room for about half
the session and then spent the next half interacting only with one caregiver and one toy. Eight months later, he was coming in as if he owned the place, circulating among all the stations, and interacting willingly with both peers and adults. Once, as he was
leaving, he even gave me a hug — the very best payoff of all.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="right" style="text-align:right;line-height:140%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">(Photos by Stephanie Prato)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:140%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">**********************************************************************************<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:140%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black"><img border="0" width="150" height="150" id="_x0000_i1027" src="http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/afjheadshot-150x150.jpg" alt="Head shot of April Jones, author of Everybody Plays">Photo
credit: Mary Fletcher <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:140%"><em><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">Today’s guest blogger is April Jones (</span></em><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black"><a href="mailto:apriljones@libraryconnection.info"><em><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#000099;text-decoration:none">apriljones@libraryconnection.info</span></b></em></a><em><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">).
April is a children’s librarian at <a href="http://www.simsburylibrary.info/"><b><span style="color:#000099;text-decoration:none">Simsbury Public Library</span></b></a> in Simsbury, CT and the parent of a teen on the autism spectrum. She was a recipient of
an <a href="http://librariesandautism.org/grant/"><b><span style="color:#000099;text-decoration:none">Autism Welcome Here</span></b></a> grant in 2016. More information on the grant is available at
</span></em><a href="http://librariesandautism.org/grant/"><em><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#000099;text-decoration:none">http://librariesandautism.org/grant/</span></b></em></a><em><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"> and
</span></em><a href="http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2015/09/announcing-new-grant-autism-welcome-here-library-programs-services-and-more/"><em><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#000099;text-decoration:none">http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2015/09/announcing-new-grant-autism-welcome-here-library-programs-services-and-more/</span></b></em></a><em><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif">.
</span></em><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:140%"><em><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.</span></em><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:140%"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at <a href="mailto:alscblog@gmail.com"><b><span style="color:#000099;text-decoration:none">alscblog@gmail.com</span></b></a>.</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height:140%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:140%;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black">The post
<a href="http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2017/09/everybody-plays/"><b><span style="color:#000099;text-decoration:none">Everybody Plays! Welcoming All Abilities to the Library</span></b></a> appeared first on
<a href="http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog"><b><span style="color:#000099;text-decoration:none">ALSC Blog</span></b></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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Katie Anderson<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Youth Services Consultant</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">|</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> 503-378-2528
<b>|</b> </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/osl/ld">www.oregon.gov/osl/ld</a>
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