top of page

Teens, Families, and Our Elders

Multi generation, multiethnic family at home together, grandfather with disability.jpg
Grandfather in wheelchair hugging grandchildren.jpg

This page of The Accessible Librarian is where you will find information on meeting the accessibility needs of families with young children or are disabled or neurodivergent, teens who are neurodivergent, and our elders who are neurodivergent. As librarians, we should be cognizant of the needs that each of these groups have to help us ensure that our libraries are as welcoming as possible, because as we say, libraries are for everyone!

Families with Young Children

Little boy with Down Syndrom.jpg

Families with young children who are disabled or neurodivergent look for specific things when considering if the library is an appropriate place for their child. Here are some items that these families need, and that you should have on your accessibility checklist, to ensure your library is meeting the needs of this community:

​

  1. A predictable, low-stress, sensory-aware environment that includes:

    • Assistive technology – devices like screen readers, text-to-speech software, and braille displays.

    • Digital content – eBooks, audio books, and accessible formats, such as dyslexia-friendly fonts.

    • Sensory tools – resources like fidget toys, weighted lap pads, and quiet areas.

    • Accessible facilities – adaptive furniture, ramps, and adjustable lighting.

    • Specialized learning materials – resources such as books, games and multimedia specifically designed for children with cognitive disabilities (How Public Libraries Support Children with SEND, n.d.).

  2. Programs designed with access in mind. Try to design your programming with the following in mind:

    • Make your Storytimes “sensory friendly” by lowering the lights, reducing the volume, having shorter segments, and allowing the children to move around. And be flexible by allowing the children to “stim” (pacing, rocking, vocalizing, etc.).

    • Make adaptive toys (fidgets, textured items, etc.) available during your programming (Romeijn-Stout, 2024).

  3. Provide support for caregivers:

    • Ensure your library is a nonjudgmental space. Many caregivers feel that library spaces are hostile to their child’s behaviors. As library staff, we want to provide these caregivers with a feeling of warmth and acceptance.

    • Provide practical information for caregivers. Curated lists of local therapists, regional centers, parent groups, and disability-specific organizations can be extremely helpful.

    • Provide longer checkout periods and fee-free library cards for this community. Sensory-related book damage (chewing/ripping) is a fact of life, so adjust your replacement policies (Daskalakes et al., 2023).

  4. Train your library staff on disability and neurodiversity.

    • New hire training should include modules on autism, ADHD, and disability (intellectual, developmental, and physical). Ensure that ongoing training is provided to staff on various subjects that can help them understand stimming and movement as regulation techniques, and how to de-escalate situations in the correct way.

Teens

Young man with Down syndrome.jpg

Teens and young adults who are disabled and neurodivergent have many of the same needs as families with young children (above). They want the environment to be sensory-friendly and predictable, and they want the spaces to be accessible as well as the staff to be well-trained. But they also have some specific things that you can implement at your library to ensure it is welcoming and accessible to this community.

​

  1. Check your collection and make sure it:

    • Includes materials with protagonists who are disabled and/or neurodivergent without stereotypes.

    • Includes materials about self-advocacy and mental health.

    • Has plenty of high-interest/low-reading-level books, audiobooks, and graphic novels.

    • Includes multiple different formats for accessibility (Serving Patrons  with Disabilities in Small and Rural Libraries: Practitioner’s Guide, n.d.).

  2. Make your library a place where these teens can have social connection without pressure.

    • Give them spaces for safe, low-stakes social interaction.

    • Provide adult-supported social groups – groups for autistic teens, disabled LGBTQ+ teens, etc.

    • Provide programming opportunities that are passive and do not require talking – board games and crafting tables for example (Serving Patrons  with Disabilities in Small and Rural Libraries: Practitioner’s Guide, n.d.).

  3. Ensure your library is a place where these teens feel safe and accepted.

    • Implement policies that protect them from bullying or exclusion by peers and provide staff intervention when needed.

    • Provide a judgment-free atmosphere that allows stimming, assistive devices, and nontraditional communication (Grassi, 2018).

  4. Provide support for these teens with their transition to adulthood by providing:

    • Life-skill workshops on job skills, time management, and budgeting (just to name a few).

    • One-on-one coaching for digital literacy and research skills (Children and Teens with Disabilities | ALA Accessibility Resources for Libraries, n.d.).

Our Elders

Senior Man in Wheelchair.jpg

Our elders are no different than our families and teens – they need accessible spaces, sensory-inclusive environments, adaptive and assistive technology, and accessible collections as well. But there are additional things you can do for your older patrons who are disabled and/or neurodivergent.

​

  1. Provide a space where these older adults can make social connections and build their communities by creating:

    • Inclusive clubs or discussion groups.

    • Gentle exercise and arts programs.

    • Intergenerational programming events.

    • Library volunteer opportunities that are accessible (Libraries Respond, n.d.-b).

  2. Many of our elders cannot physically visit the library, so do outreach and create home-based library services such as:

    • Home delivery or “books by mail” programs.

    • Mobile library/Bookmobile visits.

    • Partnerships with assisted living, senior centers, and adult day programs (like CISS! – See my Local Resource Center Interview page on this blog for the interview!).

    • Virtual programming that is easy to join (Libraries Respond, n.d.-b).

  3. Older adults may struggle with technology, so provide them with digital literacy support by providing:

    • One-on-one, slow paced tech help.

    • Instruction tailored to assistive technologies.

    • Printed or video tutorials.

    • Help accessing telehealth or online benefits systems (Rietkerk, 2024).

​

Above all, treat all your patrons who are disabled or neurodivergent, as well as their families, with respect and dignity. Allow them to be independent and give them the same choices as you would any other patron. And be humble - practice cultural humility – do not assume you know what they want or need, as they are individuals just like any other patron.

​

Picture Credits: All pictures on this page courtesy of iStock.

bottom of page