Project A+ Serving Students with Autsm Spectrum Disorder in the Academic Library

This project was made possible in part by the Insttute of Museum and Library Services [RE-31-16-0129- 16] Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, Category 2 Research and Florida State University ©2018 Introducton

Introducton

Project A+ is a research study that discovered solutons to serving academic library users with autsm spectrum disorder (ASD). The research protocol included working with three diverse academic libraries, librarians, disability services personnel, and students on the autsm spectrum to gather data on the types of library setngs, actvites, services, and materials that students with ASD prefer. This resultng manual for academic librarians is intended to assist them in reducing library anxiety and supportng success in students with ASD and their use of the library.

This manual from Project A+ also builds on the successful Florida State IMLS-funded Project PALS (Panhandle Autsm Library Services) a set of four online self-paced professional development chapters, available on WebJuncton, that provide practcal strategies for librarians in all types of libraries to implement. The PALS exit survey revealed further informaton – that training, strategies, and real-world models are needed in order for librarians to fully support patrons with ASD at the highest levels, partcularly in college and university libraries.

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A Note on Approaches Used

The research leading to the development of this training manual used the social model of disability studies, allowing for voices of students with ASD to be presented in their own words, not as mediated by parents, caregivers, or the perceptons of faculty and staf of their lived experiences. The social model also provides the framework for librarians and libraries to adapt services, not students, with ASD adaptng to suit neurotypical-centric services.

Though the social model advocates for ability frst language (e.g. “autstc person”), this manual is presented using person frst language (“person with autsm”) to place the person before the disability. The study authors acknowledge that this is an ongoing debate, and that there will be disagreement over the correct terms to use. Please understand that this was a thoughtul choice, made afer much discussion between study authors and stakeholders. A good resource to learn more about identty frst language can be found on the Autstc Self Advocacy Network.

Similarly, the study authors acknowledge that there are many esteemed sources of informaton about autsm and seek to cite these sources widely. While all sources cited within this document contain, what the authors believe to be valuable informaton, we also acknowledge the controversy that surrounds involvement of informaton not created by self- advocates or those who identfy as having autsm. As such, the authors strive to include all points of view and include frst person accounts when possible. Informaton on People First Language can be further explained at htps://www.cdc.gov/ ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disability-strategies.html

How to Use the Manual

This training manual was developed with busy librarians and library staf in mind, so you are able to access each chapter as needed. For those who are interested in digging deeper into partcular topics, a bibliography is provided at the end of each chapter, as well as a comprehensive bibliography at the conclusion of the manual.

We suggest that you open this manual in sofware such as Adobe Reader. You also have the opton to print and view it at your convenience. Many of the templates and tools throughout might be helpful to print and have available as ready reference for staf at the front desk.

Throughout this document, you will fnd empty boxes like the one to the lef. These are fllable blanks that you may use to type responses to the refecton and brainstorming actvites. If you are using a supported pdf reader, then you just need to click inside the box to begin typing.

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Chapters at a Glance

These six chapters have been designed to provide helpful informaton and strategies for academic librarians and library staf interactng with individuals with autsm. The chapters include objectves, content informaton, videos, checklists, examples, and links to additonal resources. The following is a descripton of each of the chapters: 1. About Autsm: provides informaton about ASD, life with ASD on college campuses, and why understanding it is important for librarians and library staf. 2. The Library Environment: explores the importance of the library environment and how, by understanding and organizing the environment, you can support students with autsm. 3. Communicaton: describes common social communicaton behaviors of students with ASD.

4. Social Interacton: explains opportunites librarians can create for social interacton among students with ASD, as well as difusion techniques for negatve interactons. 5. Technology: examines how libraries can enhance the social and vocatonal independence of individuals with ASD by harnessing the power of technology. 6. Employment: discusses employing students with ASD in the library in various roles, as well as improving hiring practces for all members of this populaton.

Project A+ Team

Project A+ is a research study led by Dr. Nancy Everhart of Florida State University’s School of Informaton and Dr. Juliann Woods of FSU’s School of Communicaton Sciences and Disorders, and managed by Dr. Amelia Anderson, also of the School of Informaton. This project was made possible through the IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Category 2 – Research.

Dr. Nancy Everhart Dr. Juliann Woods Dr. Amelia Anderson Co-Principal Investgator Co-Principal Investgator Project Coordinator

Curt Fulwider Kriste Escobar Graduate Assistant Research Assistant

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Advisory Board

The Project A+ Board of Advisors provided virtual feedback on the research results. They assisted in the research process and interpretng results from their unique perspectves as those on the autsm spectrum, librarians, autsm experts, researchers and librarians with autsm. This feedback was necessary in designing an implementaton guide that is valuable to librarians as well as impactul to those on the autsm spectrum.

Melissa is a researcher at the Blake is the Florida Collecton and Florida State University School of Outreach Librarian at the State Informaton. Her research focuses Library of Florida. Blake also served on the role academic libraries as a valued advisory board member play in neurotypical high school for Project PALS and is on the students’ transiton to college. autsm spectrum. Dr. Melissa Gross Blake Robinson

Lisa is a professor and coordinator Suzanne is PI, Targetng Autsm for Informaton Literacy Services IMLS LB21 Grant Project and and Instructon at the University of Associate Director, Library Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Automaton & Technology for the library. Illinois State Library

Dr. Lisa Hinchlife Suzanne Schriar

Adria is an ASD self-advocate and Paul is the Distance Educaton founder of Adria’s Village, which Librarian at the University of provides training to those who Minnesota, Mankato and is on the work or interact with individuals autsm spectrum. with disabilites.

Adria Nassim Dr. Paul Wyss

Charlie is the Electronic Resources and Serials Librarian at the University of Tennessee at Chatanooga and is on the autsm spectrum.

Charlie Remy

5 About Autsm on Campus

1 About Autsm on Campus

"In truth, I am accustomed to spaces that were clearly designed without someone like me in mind. My sensory integraton difcultes, my spatal confusion, my social anxiety: all are consttutve of neurological atypicality that puts me at a systematc disadvantage in a society structured around a rather specifc human ideal. Yet while I generally antcipate that most of the places I go will be less than accommodatng, this is not the case for libraries. Throughout my life and into the early stages of my library career, I have come Emily Lawrence, to expect more of these insttutons. My expectatons are ted up with a concept of the librarian and autsm library as “safe space,” as well as with the core principals of the feld. So, when the library self-advocate fails to live up to such expectatons – grounded as they are in our stated commitments as librarians – it is important to ask what has gone wrong and how we might go about fxing it" (Lawrence, 2013, p. 98).

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Over the past two decades the prevalence of ASD has risen signifcantly and is currently the fastest growing disability in the United States. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventon (2018) confrms that ASD is present in approximately 1 child in every 59.

Prevalence of ASD within the general populaton is refected in the growing number of college and university students with this disability (Barnhill, 2014; Gelbar, Smith, & Reichow, 2014; Pinder-Amaker, 2014) and their challenges. Many adolescents and adults with autsm report dependence on their families, no close friends, and few recreatonal actvites (Howlin & Magiat, 2017). More students with ASD are registering for support services than ever before, but that does not account for those who either do not see themselves as in need of disability services or do not have a formal diagnosis and atempt to forge the academic journey alone. College atriton rates are higher for college students with ASD than for neurotypical college students due to the lack of supports that were available K-12 and other unique characteristcs of this populaton including high rates of anxiety disorder, challenges during periods of transiton, and difculty adaptng to social and behavioral norms (Drake, 2014). Academic library usage correlates to college retenton for college students as a whole, giving reason to believe that academic librarians are in a unique positon to help support the success of college students with ASD (Murray, Ireland, & Hackathorn, 2016).

What is Autsm?

ASD has been defned by the American Psychiatric The range of symptom presentaton, severity levels, Associaton (2013) as a complex neurodevelopmental and other conditons contribute to the complexity of disorder that is characterized by impairments in social identfcaton, interventon, and successful socializaton for communicaton and interacton and by restricted, repettve those with ASD. paterns of behavior and interests. ASD afects how an individual interacts with others, communicates, learns, and behaves. The phrase, “If you’ve met one person with autsm, you’ve met one person with autsm,” emphasizes the breadth of the diferences between individuals with "More people than ever before are being the diagnosis. diagnosed with ASD. It is unclear how much of this increase is due to a broader ASD is further specifed for each individual by indicatng defniton of ASD and beter eforts in whether the diagnosis is: diagnosis. However, a true increase • with or without accompanying intellectual in the number of people with an ASD impairment; cannot be ruled out. The increase in ASD diagnosis is likely due to a combinaton • with or without accompanying language of these factors.“ (CDC, 2017, para. 3). impairment; • or associated with a known medical or genetc conditon or environmental factor.

7 About Autsm on Campus

Persons with autsm do not exhibit common physical Prevalence of ASD characteristcs that would identfy them. The manifestaton Whether you knew it at the tme or not, you have likely of symptoms in each individual with ASD also varies greatly. already interacted with or assisted a student on the autsm spectrum. The most recent informaton provided by the Approximately 30% of individuals with ASD experience Centers for Disease Control states: intellectual and adaptve disorders; however, it is social and communicaton impairments that limit their opportunites for community partcipaton, independence, and the quality of their lives most signifcantly. This is where libraries can make a diference.

Observable Characteristcs of ASD Various observable behaviors of individuals with ASD may occur while they use in the library and these may assist you in providing support. Recogniton is the frst step in supportng interacton and satsfacton within the library environment. Students on the autsm spectrum might have partcular sensitvity to fuorescent lights, or might show signs of sensitvity to noisy library interactons, such as instructon sessions or other events. They might be uncomfortable making eye contact when requestng materials or assistance, or might have difcultes engaging in conversaton.

Can you tell which of the students below have autsm?

8 About Autsm on Campus

Experts believe there are many explanatons for the Adult Diagnosis increase in the prevalence of autsm (Wright, 2017). Though early diagnosis for autsm is more and more common, many individuals with ASD do not receive a • Public awareness of the disorder has increased. diagnosis untl adulthood. As described by Charlie Remy, a • There have also been signifcant advances librarian on the autsm spectrum: in diagnostc eforts, most recently in early identfcaton. • The defniton of ASD has broadened in recent “I was diagnosed at the age of 23 when I years and includes more individuals who functon was in library school. Several years earlier autonomously, with litle or no support while in my parents suggested I read Beyond the school or in the community. Wall by Stephen Shore. It’s a memoir • Record keeping has improved. writen by an adult on the spectrum. My parents immediately thought of me • The number of people with ASD is simply when they read it and I concurred with increasing. them! It described a lot of experiences For many reasons, ASD is becoming more and more similar to those in my childhood (intense pervasive. As an informaton professional, you will likely special interests, social awkwardness, have the opportunity to serve members of this growing sensory sensitvites, etc” (Eng, 2017). populaton, making it crucial to be knowledgeable of the disorder and of strategies to students with ASD in their partcipaton in library and campus actvites. Though exact numbers are unknown, it is estmated that up to two percent of enrolled college students may have ASD, with or without a diagnosis (White, Ollendick, About Asperger Syndrome & Bray, 2011). Self-diagnosis can be common, as described by Remy: Asperger syndrome was formerly ascribed to some individuals on the autsm spectrum and was marked by no signifcant verbal delays and less severity in “By the tme I received the diagnosis, it characteristcs. However, with the publicaton of the was just a confrmaton of what I already ffh editon of the Diagnostc and Statstcal Manual knew. I just wanted to make it ofcial in of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in 2013, diagnostc case I needed accommodatons in the propertes for the autsm spectrum changed, future. It also felt somewhat awkward incorporatng the separate diagnosis of Asperger to partcipate in autstc organizatons syndrome into the broad umbrella of ASD. Though without an actual diagnosis. Learning Asperger syndrome is no longer given as a diagnosis, about autsm in my early 20s was you might hear some adults on the spectrum stll comfortng because I now understood identfy with the term. the why for many things in my life” (Eng, 2017).

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Neurodiversity Autsm can be considered through the lens of neurodiversity, or the idea that we all have neurological diferences that should be recognized and respected.

The concept of neurodiversity is one that has recently gained some popularity, though it is not without controversy. Proponents say that neurodiversity celebrates neurological diferences, and that there is perhaps no such thing as one standard, “normal,” brain (Robertson & Ne’Eman, 2008; Silberman, 2015). In this sense, autsm is seen as a diference and not a disability. However, some claim that this is a simplistc argument, and one that favors individuals with more mild or so-called “high-functoning” characteristcs of ASD (Jaarsma & Welin, 2011; Kapp, Gillespie-Lynch, Sherman, & Hutman, 2013).

"Writng about acceptance got me to think, 'I know what acceptance feels like in the present—equal employment opportunites, policies of inclusion, being surrounded by a real community, and people that care about or love me…' But what does acceptance look like in the future? How will 'autsm' be defned in Diagnostc and Statstcal Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) 14, which, based on prior publicaton dates, should arrive around the year 2122? Or will my and others’ behavioral diferences simply disappear from the DSM because they are then thought of as natural, commonplace extensions of the human experience?" (Carley, 2018, para. 4).

You might see or hear the term “neurotypical” used. This is a term that can be used for individuals who are not neurodiverse – in other words, a neurotypical person is someone who is not on the autsm spectrum him or herself. Views on this terminology are constantly evolving, and there are many frst-person accounts on discussion board forums, social media pages, and video channels discussing the merits of the neurodiverse movement. Learn more by watching Elisabeth Wiklander describe how she views her autsm through the lens of neurodiversity. htp://bit.ly/2l3fUP

10 About Autsm on Campus

Transiton from High School to College their own or with roommates for the frst tme in their lives. While students with ASD may be academically successful in high school and intellectually prepared for One study looked specifcally at the challenges students college, many fnd themselves in a new school, during a faced during the transiton from high school to college period of major transiton, with self-care and independent found: “the reducton in social supports, the academic living skills lacking. Parents of students making the transiton stress, and the difculty managing intense emotons were from high school to college have described concerns that their greatest challenges…Another major concern reported students might lack the ability to self-advocate for services was balancing the overwhelming number of daily living afer leaving the familiar structure of the K-12 environment responsibilites and social demands while focusing on (Morrison, Sansot, & Hadley, 2009). Some address this by school” (White, Elias, Salinas, Capriola, Conner, Asselin,…& atending college close to home and fnding comfort in Getzel, 2016). some aspect of “sameness” in their lives, which can be an efectve strategy. Primary needs identfed by needs analysis across online surveys and focus groups. In an interview with NPR, one student describes Over-arching construct Specifc facets that “the challenge… is that in college, unlike in high school, it's a student's responsibility to ask Social integraton Navigatng social interactons for help” (Donovan, 2017). Finding social support NPR’s All Things Considered: Navigatng Life on Campus When Handling confict with others

You’re on the Autsm Spectrum Self-determinaton Finding transiton services

Self-advocacy Periods of transiton, such as the transiton from high school to college, are partcularly stressful for individuals Time management with autsm (Adreon & Durocher, 2007; Pinder-Amaker, Sustaining or developing social motvaton 2014; VanBergeijk, Klin, & Volkmar, 2008; Zager & Alpern, 2010). Students are expected to learn the norms and Goal atainment cultures of a new insttuton, meet new people, abide by Self-awareness and knowledge a new set of rules and policies and, in many cases, live on Independent living skills Managing social, daily living, Self-regulaton and social concerns Navigatng inconsistencies and changes in routne

Managing intense emotons Executve functoning (e.g., managing inatenton) Coping with academic stress (White et al., 2016)

11 About Autsm on Campus

The College Experience

Postsecondary insttutons are working to best support Charlie Remy, an academic librarian, describes his ASD the needs of college students with ASD, who ofen require manifestatons as follows: diferent services and supports than other students with special needs. Though individuals on the autsm spectrum are ofen academically successful in college, they do tend to face difcultes in social situatons and with communicaton skills. However, these challenges manifest very diferently in every person. One student with ASD might have trouble speaking up during class, while another student with ASD might not know when to stop talking and sharing opinions during class. As everyone with the disorder displays diferent characteristcs, there is not a one-size-fts-all approach for ofering support. Furthermore, characteristcs of the disorder are ofen invisible, leading to challenges in htps://bit.ly/2qRxkNN ofering targeted support (Barnhill, 2014). Adding to the challenge is that not all individuals with ASD register with Take a moment to refect on these characteristcs. the disability ofce on their campus. Some try to make it Can you recall occasions where you may have on their own without any supports or are not provided interacted with a student on the autsm spectrum? adequate guidance during the registraton process, so they Additonally, how do you think the library could fail to notfy the disability ofce of their diagnosis or their be a benefcial space for a student displaying potental need for support. Similarly, some individuals manifestatons of ASD? do not receive supports because they are undiagnosed, though showing characteristcs of ASD (White, Ollendick, & Bray, 2011).

Characteristcs of College Students with ASD Students with ASD have diferent methods of learning, interactng, and processing informaton. They are ofen able to do well academically and might earn high GPAs. Students with ASD can be found in every discipline, though many fnd their stride in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) majors. They might seem aloof, though this does not mean that they do not need or seek connecton.

12 About Autsm on Campus

Executve Functoning Impacts Students in College Executve functoning poses its own set of issues for students with ASD. View the following image, and try saying the color, not the word:

Now imagine if this is what you were faced with every day! Students with ASD can have trouble with organizaton functons, including working memory, atenton span, problem solving, cognitve fexibility, and verbal reasoning. They also might struggle with cognitve fexibility and regulaton functons such as inhibiton, initaton, and monitoring (Cai & Richdale, 2016). As illustrated by one student with ASD:

“[I am] really disorganized. I try to be organized but it’s this uphill impossible struggle. It’s a wharf of chaos. Everything is just so random, chaotc, and I’ll try to be organized but it’s not going to end up being organized. I’ll just try to make it not as disorganized. Trying to minimize the damage” (Cai & Richdale, 2016).

htp://bit.ly/2bvsxuD

13 About Autsm on Campus

College Retenton Comorbid Conditons Up to two percent of the college populaton could be Perhaps the most signifcant symptom for a student on the autsm spectrum (White, Ollendick, & Bray, 2011) – with ASD may be anxiety or stress. Studies show the and are at a greater risk of not completng a college degree. frequency of comorbid conditons presented along with Students with ASD have lower rates of completon than ASD, including anxiety, depression, and atenton defcit the study body as a whole, with fewer than 40 percent hyperactvity disorder (ADHD) (Bauman, 2010). Sensory graduatng over the span of six years (Shatuck et al., 2012). processing and assimilaton challenges can also lead to These students may be intellectually capable and achieve heightened stress levels for students who are already under academically at the same levels or higher than their peers pressure to achieve academically. One college graduate without ASD and would likely succeed in college with the described he had “...the ability to ‘fake out people and appropriate supports (Jackson, Hart, Brown, & Volkmar, that allowed him to ‘rely on my raw intellect to do what I 2018). need to do. And most of the tme it worked when I applied myself’" (Cox et al., 2016).

“It’s hard to explain why college didn’t work for me. First thing that comes to mind is that I was taking too many classes at the same tme. And these were difcult classes. Too much at once. When I frst enrolled, I signed up for 5 classes. I ended up dropping them. Then I signed up again and dropped them again. Some of the class sizes were very large, and some were smaller. For some reason, high school seemed to be easier. Teachers told us what to do. We had schedules and assignments. Another issue was the tme of my classes. I prefer to sleep late. One of the college classes I took was public speaking. I really didn’t enjoy that one. I dropped out afer 3– 4 weeks in. I didn’t feel comfortable getng up in front of a group. I don’t know why I signed up for that one. Afer dropping classes at FIU twice, I lost my scholarship. I signed up at Miami Dade to take some classes but didn’t stck with it. It’s been 4 -5 years since I atempted college. In high school I was in the 98th percentle but didn’t do well in college” (Cox, Thompson, Anderson, Mintz, …& Wolz, 2016).

14 About Autsm on Campus

Strengths of Students with ASD

The neurodiversity movement has played a role in recognizing that, along with facing some challenges, individuals with ASD also display many strengths.

“The philosophical vision of neurodiversity applies essental principles of society’s embrace of diversity in ethnicity, natonality, religion, and sexual orientaton toward people embodying diverse human neurology. Although autstc people acknowledge great challenges with being autstc, they also recognize that autsm presents important strengths, talents, abilites, and gifs, such as comfort with structure and consistency, a knack for repetton, and a detailed, intricate world understanding” (Robertson & Ne’eman, 2008).

Faculty members have also described students with ASD as having passionate interests, an interest in being right, and adhering to rules and school policies (Gobbo & Shmulsky, 2014).

In her popular blog “Musings of an Aspie,” author Cynthia Kim describes her strengths and superpowers (2012):

Superpowers and Strengths Superpowers Strengths • Perceptve • Nonjudgmental • Determined • Curious • Smart • Honest • Cool-headed • Loyal • Dependable • Sincere • Disciplined • Principled • Problem Solver

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Students with Autsm in the Academic Library

Some individuals with ASD may exhibit observable The Role of Student Disability Services characteristcs while they are in the library that may assist Though student disability and student support services you in providing support. Recogniton is the frst step to on college campuses are valuable resources for students encourage interacton and satsfacton within the library who need extra assistance, these services ofen go environment. Look for students who seem to prefer to unrealized for the student with ASD who has an invisible be alone, look away when speaking to you, or reluctant disability. The common expectaton on campuses is for self- to engage in conversaton. They might be uncomfortable disclosure. For these services to be implemented, a student making eye contact when requestng materials or assistance must frst have a proper diagnosis and then be willing to or might have difcultes engaging in conversaton. A disclose that diagnosis to student support services. student might display repettve behaviors or show focused interest in one topic. Throughout the rest of this A+ manual, more characteristcs and descriptons will be introduced and expanded upon to help you beter understand how to identfy and beter support students with ASD in your library.

The Associaton of Specialized and Cooperatve Library Agencies (ASCLA) division of the American Library Associaton has addressed some solutons in a toolkit “Autsm Spectrum Disorders”. Use the tps included here that can be used for working with all ages of library users.

“Colleges are not required to think about the social, communicatve needs of any students, let alone those with autsm. Those things are not considered reasonable accommodatons. But if autsm is indeed a social disability, then Additonally, support needs vary signifcantly for denying the social needs of autstc students with ASD as compared to traditonal student students is inherently unreasonable” disability services. Examples of traditonal student support (Finnegan & Finnegan, 2016). includes note takers or extra tme for exams, while students with ASD typically need more social and emotonal, rather than academic, support.

16 About Autsm on Campus

Existng College Support Programs for Students with ASD Many colleges and universites are beginning to recognize the importance of creatng awareness and support for students with ASD and are creatng targeted programs to increase their chances of success. Check out College Autsm Spectrum as a startng point for understanding practces at insttutons of higher educaton. Conduct a search online for your state or region to see what processes are in place nearby, leading to possible opportunites for collaboraton. Read quotes from librarians within some of these targeted programs who are fnding a role to play in student success:

“We have a training… it’s kind of like the LGBTQ safe space movement in terms of providing a safe environment where people with autsm can see that emblem and know, ok, this person’s been trained to at least know something about how ASD afects somebody’s life and some practcal ways in which they can communicate with someone on the spectrum… we provide that to our librarians here on campus.”

“I think as the library there are a lot of things we can ofer students (on the spectrum); not just the spaces but potentally even for those of us who have subject liaison dutes that we could more closely work with students in our specifc discipline areas to maybe meet with them one-on-one, or work with them via email or via the phone, whichever avenue is most comfortable for them, to make sure that they have access to the resources that they need so they can be successful.”

Does your campus have a targeted ASD program? If so, work to make a connecton with its director and see “I have been working with our how the library can be a partner. If not, working with the instructonal services librarian and Disability Ofce is a great startng point. we’ve been trying to incorporate things like interactve learning, and “I would recommend a stronger Universal Design Learning, and connecton between disability services hands-on exercises into the lesson and the library. We have a commitee plans so that’s what we do basically actually on campus that’s just a faculty in class. I really encourage them to advisory commitee for students with come in for individual research help, disabilites and it’s comprised of a lot of and at these individual sessions we diferent allies from departments across kind of go more in depth.” campus, one being library services.”

17 About Autsm on Campus

Campus Collaboraton Despite being willing and able, some individuals Emily Mann, Research & Informaton Services Librarian with ASD fnd it a challenge to partcipate in community at Florida State University, describes their Diversity and actvites due to social and communicatve difcultes. The Inclusion collecton: library, typically a cornerstone in the campus community, is an obvious facilitator to support these individuals’ partcipaton and involvement in their communites.

What opportunites can your library support? While this will vary widely based on people and resources, litle things can be amazing catalysts.

htps://bit.ly/2IeTZ0G

“Cultvatng acceptance and support resources for autstc college students will also involve transforming a campus community's broader culture. Colleges and universites can host gatherings and events focused on learning more about autstc college students and the neurological diversity they contribute to their campus environment. Many colleges and Many libraries partner with other campus organizatons universites have held week-long community and departments to provide training and additonal gatherings focused on appreciatng the diversity services. Asking local autsm experts to come into the of their community's diferences in ethnicity, library and give a workshop about autsm — whether natonality, sexual orientaton, and religion. current research, local services, or otherwise — will help A neurodiversity-focused expansion of these to increase ASD awareness on your campus. Librarians diversity events would integrate actvites have a great responsibility to support opportunites for focused on embracing the diversity of autstc learning. Think about book clubs you could host featuring people and other neurodiverse populaton ASD protagonists – could you invite a faculty member groups. Neurodiversity-focused events might to help facilitate the discussion? There are many other include flm festvals, art galleries, poster opportunites for building a culture of awareness and sessions, essay writng contests, symposia, and acceptance, all of which will have a positve impact on readings of poetry and stories writen by autstc support for this populaton within the community. people” (Robertson & Ne’eman, 2008).

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Recommended Readings

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Sources of Informaton about Autsm

As academic librarians, you might be asked to provide sources for informaton about autsm. Faculty might be interested in current research, staf and administraton might want sources of informaton to provide beter support and services for students on campus, and students with autsm might use the library as a resource when they have questons or are seeking a confrmaton about their diagnosis. Visit the Natonal Network of Libraries of Medicine website to read the criteria they designed to evaluate health websites.

When helping library users seek informaton about autsm, teach them to ask themselves the following questons: • Why did the person or organizaton create the page? • Does the person or organizaton have anything to gain from sharing the informaton? • Is the person or organizaton trying to make a proft?

Additonally, you might direct students to the “Trust it or Trash it” site, developed through a Creatve Commons license by Project Miso for quick tps on whether to trust online autsm and health informaton sources. As students with ASD are literal thinkers, this straightorward educatonal tool could be helpful for them as they work to evaluate sources of informaton.

Because of its increased prevalence, members of the library community are beginning to address opportunites for working with individuals with ASD. Listed below are some of the services and supports that might be useful in working with this populaton in a library setng. • AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION • ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES • LIBRARIES AND AUTISM – WE’RE CONNECTED • PROJECT ENABLE • PROJECT PALS • FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE • TARGETING AUTISM

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References

American Psychiatric Associaton. (2013). Diagnostc and statstcal manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing. Burgess, R. (2017, May 25). Understanding autsm part one – Jack and Rosie. The Guardian. Retrieved from htps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/picture/2017/may/25/understanding-autsm-part-one-jack- and-rosie Cai, R. Y., & Richdale, A. L. (2016). Educatonal experiences and needs of higher educaton students with autsm

spectrum disorder. Journal of Autsm and Developmental Disorders, 46(1), 31–41. Carley, M. J. (2018). “Acceptance” is a start, not a fnish. The Oaracle. Retrieved from htps://researchautsm. org/acceptance-is-a-start-not-a-fnish/ Cassidy, S., & Rodgers, J. (2017). Understanding and preventon of suicide in autsm. The Lancet Psychiatry, 4(6), e11. Centers for Disease Control and Preventon. (2017). Autsm Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Retrieved from htps:// www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autsm/research.html Cox, B. E., Thompson, K., Anderson, A., Mintz, A., Locks, T., Morgan, L., … Wolz, A. (2016). College experiences for students with autsm spectrum disorder (ASD): Personal identty, public disclosure, and insttutonal support. Journal of College Student Development, 58(1), 71–87. Donovan, C. (2017). Navigatng life on campus when you’re on the autsm spectrum. All Things Considered. Retrieved from htps://www.npr.org/2017/11/28/566788182/navigatng-life-on-campus-when-youre- on-the-autsm-spectrum Drake, S. (2014). College experience of academically successful students with autsm. Journal of Autsm, 1(1), 5. Eng, A. (2017). Neurodiversity in the library: One librarian’s experience. In the Library with a Lead Pipe. Retrieved from htp://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2017/neurodiversity-in-the-library/ Finnegan, E., & Finnegan, M. (2016). Students on the spectrum. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from htps://www. insidehighered.com/views/2016/09/13/making-college-work-students-autsm-essay

21 About Autsm on Campus

Gelbar, N. W., Smith, I., & Reichow, B. (2014). Systematc review of artcles describing experience and supports of individuals with autsm enrolled in college and university programs. Journal of Autsm and Developmental Disorders, 44(10), 2593-2601. Gobbo, K., & Shmulsky, S. (2014). Faculty experience with college students with autsm spectrum disorders: A qualitatve study of challenges and solutons. Focus on Autsm and Other Developmental Disabilites, 29(1), 13-22. Howlin, P., & Magiat, I. (2017). Autsm spectrum disorder: Outcomes in adulthood. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 30(2), 69–76.

Jaarsma, P., & Welin, S. (2012). Autsm as a natural human variaton: Refectons on the claims of the neurodiversity movement. Health Care Analysis, 20(1), 20-30. Jackson, S. L., Hart, L., Brown, J. T., & Volkmar, F. R. (2018). Brief Report: Self-reported academic, social, and mental health experiences of post-secondary students with autsm spectrum disorder. Journal of Autsm and Developmental Disorders, 48(3), 643-650. Kapp, S. K., Gillespie-Lynch, K., Sherman, L. E., & Hutman, T. (2013). Defcit, diference, or both? Autsm and neurodiversity. Developmental Psychology, 49(1), 59. Kim, C. (2012). Aspie strengths and superpowers. Musings of an Aspie. Retrieved from htps:// musingsofanaspie.com/2012/12/21/aspie-strengths-and-superpowers/ Lawrence, E. (2013). Loud hands in the library: Neurodiversity in LIS theory & practce. Progressive Librarian, 41, 98-109. Murray, A., Ireland, A., & Hackathorn, J. (2016). The value of academic libraries: Library services as a predictor of student retenton. College & Research Libraries, 77(5), 631-642. Newman, L., Wagner, M., Knokey, A.-M., Marder, C., Nagle, K., Shaver, D., & Wei, X. (2011). The post-high school outcomes of young adults with disabilites up to 8 years afer high school. A report from the Natonal Longitudinal Transiton Study–2 (NLTS2). NCSER 2011-3005. Natonal Center for Special Educaton Research. Pinder-Amaker, S. (2014). Identfying the unmet needs of college students on the autsm spectrum. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 22(2), 125-137.

22 About Autsm on Campus

Robertson, S. M., & Ne’eman, A. D. (2008). Autstc acceptance, the college campus, and technology: Growth of neurodiversity in society and academia. Disability Studies Quarterly, 28(4). Shatuck, P. T., Narendorf, S. C., Cooper, B., Sterzing, P. R., Wagner, M., & Taylor, J. L. (2012). Postsecondary educaton and employment among youth with an autsm spectrum disorder. Pediatrics, 129(6), 1042– 1049. Silberman, S. (2015). Neurotribes: The legacy of autsm and the future of neurodiversity. New York, NY: Penguin. White, S. W., Elias, R., Salinas, C. E., Capriola, N., Conner, C. M., Asselin, S. B., … Getzel, E. E. (2016). Students

with autsm spectrum disorder in college: Results from a preliminary mixed methods needs analysis. Research in Developmental Disabilites, 56, 29–40. Wright, J. (2017) Autsm rates in the United States explained. Spectrum News. Retrieved from htps:// spectrumnews.org/news/autsm-rates-united-states-explained/ Zager, D. B., Wehmeyer, M. L., & Simpson, R. L. (Eds.). (2012). Educatng students with autsm spectrum disorders: Research-based principles and practces. New York, NY: Routledge.

23 2

2 Library Environment

Students with autsm ofen enjoy coming to libraries Research shows.... and consider them to be comfortable and safe. Libraries are generally organized, calm, self-directed, and consistent. Many students with ASD describe using the library While no two individuals with autsm are the same, many as an escape from busy campus actvites. In a study individuals with autsm beneft from the predictable rules analyzing discussion board posts between individuals and systematc layout of the materials found in libraries. with ASD, it was found that, “library as escape is This porton of the manual describes some of the ways a ofen mentoned in advice that one user will give to student with autsm might face difcultes in a traditonal another, typically in ofering suggestons as to how to college library setng and how library staf can work to get away from a roommate or other unpleasant living improve these students’ experiences. situaton” (Anderson, 2018).

24 Library Environment

Scanning Your Library’s Environment

Through a process of multple library site visits and incorporatng research based best practces, the Project A+ team created an environmental rubric that will help you observe elements in your own library that are either working well, or areas that need improvement (Associaton of College and Research Libraries, 2006; Everhart, Woods, Anderson, & Delehanty, 2016). Use the checklist to walk through your library and record your observatons. We recommend using this as a place to begin conversatons with your staf and administraton about modifying the physical library environment to beter serve all users, not just those on the autsm spectrum. You might ask an outsider, such as a non-library user, to use the checklist and record their observatons with a fresh pair of eyes.

What changes do you want to make in your library? What do you think you are already doing well that you could highlight or promote to your users? We encourage you to use the strengths, weaknesses, opportunites, and threats (SWOT) template to assist in your organizaton’s strategic planning. A SWOT analysis can be helpful to determine how your library is already serving its patrons or students with ASD and ways in which it can improve. Refer to the SWOT template for ways to incorporate those changes into your long-term library plans.

25 Library Environment

Strategic Planning and SWOT Analysis

Use this SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunites, and threats) template to assist in your organizaton’s strategic planning. A SWOT analysis can be helpful to determine how your library is already serving its students with ASD, and ways in which it can improve. Create additonal lines as necessary.

Strengths Weaknesses Think of strengths as internal assets. If your library Weaknesses are also internal but are areas which has great seatng optons, or a great health informaton need improvement. If your library does not have private collecton, those are examples to list here. study spaces, that might be an example to list here. 1 1

2 2

3 3

Opportunites Threats Opportunites are external factors which your library Threats are also external, but these are factors which might take advantage of. If your library is centrally might be harmful to your library. If library funding is in located on campus, this could be an example to list here. jeopardy, this is an example to list here.

1 1

2 2

3 3

26 Library Environment

Sensory Issues and Solutons: Visual Consideratons

Sensory atypicalites, a feature of ASD as identfed by the DSM-5 (APA, 2013), can include both extreme sensitvity and under sensitvity to sensory stmuli related to the fve senses. Previous studies have identfed sensory overload, or acute sensitvity to the sensory environment, as a barrier to college success for students with ASD (Madriaga, 2010; Van Hees, Moyson, & Roeyers, 2015). The following pages will discuss sensory issues for students in the academic library, and practcal solutons.

Issue: Fluorescent lights present a partcular challenge to individuals with ASD, as they can ofen hear them buzz and are sensitve to fickering.

Soluton: Subdued task lightng can support a sense of calm and focus. Lightng should be designed in a way that is invitng – features that are also important for the general populaton. Research shows.... • If possible, reduce fuorescent lightng by replacing Students with ASD report lower levels of anxiety fuorescent bulbs with LED bulbs. If you must when given the ability to dim lights that seem too retain fuorescent lightng, make sure the bulbs are bright: “In the previous design of the autsm suite… replaced ofen or use light covers to help reduce instructors rated the students’ anxiety seven out of irritaton. ten, with ten being the most distress, because of the • Turn of some of the lightng, or try to replace with brightness of the lights. The ability to adjust the light sofer lightng optons, if your situaton allows. levels to achieve a comfortable brightness with the Providing a dimmer for individual study rooms is dimming controls eliminates the behavioral problems also helpful for students to adjust lightng to their and stresses caused by high light levels” (Long, 2010, own needs. p. 45). • Daylight is terrifc, but intense, direct sunlight and the resultng glare can be problematc. People Do you have some areas where lightng could be a who are hypersensitve do not do well with direct concern? sunlight, so window blinds and strategic window placement can help. The library could also provide inexpensive pairs of sunglasses. Some vendors ofer these for free, and they could be made available at the front desk.

27 Library Environment

Sensory Issues and Solutons: Visual Consideratons

Issue: A strength of many libraries is the use of signage to label collectons and provide directons. Individuals with ASD are ofen visual learners, so the use of signs can help them independently access resources and services. However, be careful that your visual aids are truly necessary; too many signs can create cluter and be a source of sensory overload.

Soluton: Visual supports can take many forms. A visual support is any picture, sign, or item that can guide an individual toward the completon of a task or routne. Common visual supports that are already present in your library might include signs over the restrooms and circulaton desk. Another example may be a library map that greets incoming visitors.

Mike Meth, Associate Dean, Research and Learning at Florida State University Libraries, describes modifying library signage:

htps://bit.ly/2KxUwsM

Visual actvity schedules and supports have been found to be highly efectve in helping people with ASD transiton between actvites, prepare for changes in routne, and increase their independence. It is even beter when the monitor displays simple print that is easy to read.

At Florida State University, rotatng digital signage provides At the University of West Florida, a digital display allows updated actvites and opportunites for engagement. library visitors to view policies and library usage in real tme as they enter from the frst foor.

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Sensory Issues and Solutons: Time as a Consideraton

Creatng clear and consistent signage is important not This is reiterated by another librarian at a large just for students with ASD but for all students in the library. university, who says... As one librarian notes,

"...being in such a large environment…. "...making sure signage is clear is very we can’t always ofer those super important. I know that we’ve had some individualized things. So, what we need questons recently with newly admited to be considering is how we can make students trying to fnd things and if we the environment much more conducive. have people asking, that means that I was thinking our signage, because you there are a lot more people not asking." know what? Even students that don’t have autsm, they are asking about the printers and the copiers..."

Visual supports do not need to be expensive or tme-consuming to create. The following have been shown to be helpful for individuals with ASD:

• A visual schedule of library hours, people on-duty to help, checkout procedures, and maps. • Accessible calendars for planning visits and library actvites. • A detailed agenda emailed to individuals in advance if patrons with autsm are taking classes in the library. Stcking to the agenda will reduce confusion. • Writng materials close at hand (whiteboards, notepads, pencils and clipboards with paper, or stcky notes). • Library staf being identfable with name badges.

List more strategies that would be useful in your library.

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Sensory Issues and Solutons: Visual Consideratons

Even in a relatvely small library, assessing all signage may be a dauntng task. The frst step in identfying problematc or unnecessary signage is conductng a signage inventory. Mandel and Johnston (2017), “have developed and feld tested a method for conductng an expert signage inventory…to illustrate signage issues and good signs” (3). Their checklist allows librarians to efciently inventory their signage and take stock of the diferent types and locatons of signs to identfy areas for improvement or reducton of signage. Use the table below and the checklist on the following page to take inventory of your library’s signage. With the data you collect, frst address signs with functonal issues (damage, incorrect placement, etc.), then consider reducing repettve or inefectve signage.

Main Subcategory Defniton Main Subcategory Defniton Category Category Name of the sign derived from Sign is unclear because of font Sign Name Issues Unclear text on the sign size, sign size, etc. Sign that is not where it be- Floor B Lower level Locaton longs 1 First level Outdated Sign that is outdated 2 Second level Damage - Sign Sign that is damaged 3 Third level Damage - Signs that indicate directon by Sign holder that is damaged Category Dir. - → Mount use of arrows Signs that indicate directon by Other Any other issue Dir. - Text use of text Any comments or elaboraton Regulatory signs that indicate Notes Reg. - L necessary library rules Regulatory signs that indicate Reg. - O non-library rules

Informaton All other signs

Locaton Table Sign on a table or desk

Stack-end Sign on the end of a bookstack

Shelf Sign on a shelf

Wall Sign on a wall

Hanging Sign hanging from the ceiling

Other Sign in another locaton

Adapted from “Evaluatng Library Signage: A Systematc Method for Conductng a Library Signage Inventory,” by L.H. Mandel and M.P. Johnston, 2017, Journal of Librarianship and Informaton Science, Copyright 2017 by Mandel & Johnston. Adapted with permission.

30 Sensory Issues and Solutons: Visual Consideratons

FLOOR CATEGORY LOCATION ISSUES

Dir. Reg. Damage B 1 2 3 → L O Text

SIGN NAME Informaton Table Stack-end Shelf Wall Hanging Other Unclear Locaton Out-dated Sign Mount Other NOTES

Adapted from “Evaluatng Library Signage: A Systematc Method for Conductng a Library Signage Inventory,” by L.H. Mandel and M.P. Johnston, 2017, Journal of Librarianship and Informaton Science, Copyright 2017 by Mandel & Johnston. Adapted with permission. Library Environment

Sensory Issues and Solutons: Visual Consideratons

Issue: Persons with ASD ofen have trouble with tme percepton; therefore, they have difculty gauging and tracking tme. Some exhibit an ability to focus on an object or actvity for hours with unusual intensity because the student is unaware of how much tme has passed. On the other hand, tme percepton may be a strength for other students on the spectrum and they want to be sure that events begin and end precisely on tme. They may follow very rigid schedules.

Libraries ofen provide useful verbal reminders or announcements. With these announcements, it is helpful to share any steps that a library visitor will need to complete. For example: “The library will be closing in thirty minutes. Please take any materials you need to check out to the front desk.” This will help all students, and especially Soluton: There are techniques used to support those with ASD, prepare for the transiton, understand individuals with ASD during changes in or disruptons to what is about to occur, and decide what actons they need actvites, setngs, or routnes. The techniques can be used to take. before a transiton occurs, during a transiton, and/or afer a transiton, and can be presented verbally, auditorily, or Take this tme to survey your library – how many visually. Placing clocks strategically throughout the library clocks do you see? Are they visible from study areas? environment helps those with ASD feel more in control of their surroundings.

It may be helpful for individuals with ASD to “see” how much tme remains in an actvity, such as an instructonal session, before they will be expected to transiton to a new locaton or event. Timers on a PowerPoint presentaton can be used for this.

32 Library Environment

Sensory Issues and Solutons: Visual Consideratons

Issue: It is not enough to simply provide access to spaces; a student with ASD must know that the spaces exist and be able to prepare in advance for a trip to the library. Librarian Q: "If we were to post when our busiest hours are on our website, do you think that would be helpful?" Adria Nassim: "Yeah, that would! At least I know it would for me."

Providing virtual reference is another alternatve for students who are deterred from visitng at the busiest tmes. As noted by one librarian, “with VR, we have that for a number of diferent hours. Since we’re a university campus and [our library] is open so late and so early they could always come at diferent tmes that aren’t quite peak tmes.” Soluton: Providing study rooms is a great frst step for students who need a quiet, private space. However, think about how students might know about availability of the rooms themselves, or how to – or if it is even possible to – reserve them in advance. As one librarian interviewed by Project A+ says, “So even though we provide access, especially to those quiet spaces, I’m not sure students are fnding those as accessible when they need them.” At another library, a library administrator describes a strength of his library’s environment in having “various study rooms that we have that are bookable and reservable” through their website so that a student will know that a dedicated space is available for him when he arrives.

33 Library Environment

Sensory Issues and Solutons: Auditory Consideratons

Issue: Even if you consider your library to be a quiet environment, it may not feel this way to students with ASD. What might be a minor annoyance to a librarian or neurotypical student could be such a distracton for a Research shows.... student with ASD that he or she is unable to concentrate. One student with ASD describes the distracton of “I’ve stopped asking people, ‘Do you hear that?’ When I hearing other students in this unedited discussion pick up on some unexplained faint sound. The answer is board post: “Anyways how do you, ask a person to inevitably ‘No.’ Autstc people tend to have very sensitve stop humming especially if theyre on the other side of hearing,” says writer Cynthia Kim (2015, p. 111). the building, no where near you and stll are annoying with their actons? And how do you explain that to a person... seriously.. “I am sorry could you please stop humming, i can hear you from my locaton in the library?” aaah i just feel soo irritated n have no idea what to do...” (Anderson, 2016, p. 51).

Soluton: What can you do to improve the auditory environment? Providing private, more soundproofed study rooms is a start. You might also consider the efect that carpetng or a strategically placed rug might have in reducing noise in your library. One librarian noted the positve efects of putng carpetng down on the interior bridges between library buildings, and said it “kind of quiets, dampens the sound.”

Noise canceling headphones can greatly aid in library visits for those with ASD. Individuals with autsm sometmes have difculty processing noise, and headphones can be a great comfort for them. Headphones may be ofered for use with the library’s computer or with a patron’s own electronic device. They can also be worn on their own as a source of comfort.

34 Library Environment

Sensory Issues and Solutons: Auditory Consideratons

Issue: Students with ASD may have the assumpton that libraries are always quiet. Though this was once collectvely true, the modern library typically has areas for both quiet study and louder collaboratve spaces. These more modern academic libraries allow for optonal interacton and typically provide some comfortable, lounge-style seatng. Some simple accommodatons can be made for students who may beneft from a quiet space away from this stmulaton.

Soluton: Provide optons for students to step away and provide fexible seatng optons. Think about ofering chairs that can be rolled together or apart for diferent levels of privacy – the key here is providing optons.

A comfortable Study carrels or chair placed in A designated space Individual study cubicles in quiet an area free of where extra help is rooms that students areas. distractons with available. can reserve online. sofer lightng.

Sometmes a quiet corner is not enough to escape from sensory overload.

"Students with ASD would beneft from a calming room, where he or she could step away from overstmulaton. You might think of this as a type of meditaton room." Adria Nassim, A+ Advisory Board Member

35 Library Environment

Sensory Issues and Solutons: General Overload

Issues: Many academic libraries are making the shif to Research shows.... one desk that provides multple services such as circulaton and informaton. Before incorporatng this trend into your “College students with ASD describe anxiety in library’s layout, consider that these “mega-desks” with approaching librarians or library staf behind the many services are chaotc to those with sensitvites— desk” (Anderson, 2016). not just those with ASD - but also students who are shy or easily overwhelmed. Though characteristcs difer in Soluton: If you already use “mega-desks” in your every person with ASD, librarian Charlie Remy describes library, are there other, smaller desks where a student manifestatons of his ASD as including high anxiety overall could receive access to the same services? Think about and being easily overwhelmed (Eng, 2017) – both of which alternatve ways a student could get help without requiring could present challenges in approaching a busy desk with him or her to approach the potentally overwhelming all- multple service points and staf members. in-one service point.

Does your library have a self-checkout staton? By using self-checkout, an individual with ASD can likely avoid waitng in a long line and not have to go through the additonal stress of unnecessary interacton and communicaton. If your library does not have an in-house self-checkout system, there are mobile app systems such as meeScan which is being used at the University of Chicago and University of Manitoba. Librarians could also provide disposable ear plugs or at partcularly busy locatons use white noise machines at the checkout desk.

Research shows.... “From what I understand, typical people have a sensory processing system that operates like a fancy shower head. They can adjust the temperature and pressure and how the water fows untl it’s just right. People with atypical sensory processing, on the other hand, have a fre hydrant valve where that shower head should be. We get lots of data, all at once, all the tme. Adjustng the fow of data ranges from difcult to impossible to totally unpredictable” htp://bit.ly/2kMKWKg (Kim, 2014).

36 Library Environment

Sensory Issues and Solutons: General Overload

Issue: When feeling overwhelmed, it is possible that a student with ASD will “stm” as a coping mechanism. “Stmming” is a commonly accepted term for self-stmulatory behavior and refers to actons that those experiencing sensory overload will take to soothe themselves. This can include behaviors such as fdgetng, rocking, or hand fapping, and might be a clue to you that a student needs assistance locatng materials, navigatng the environment, or fnding a quiet space away from distracton.

Soluton: Providing stm or fdget tools within the library for students might help them if they should experience sensory overload. You might already be familiar with the popular fdget spinners or stress balls; you can also search online for other low-cost optons to keep available at the front desk, computer statons, or in study rooms.

Students might also beneft from more large scale self-soothing optons; one example of this can be seen with the Fit Desks installed at the University of West Florida’s Pace Library. These statonary bikes allow students to pedal while reading or simply pedal between study sessions. Are Fit Desks not in your current budget? It’s likely that you already have some optons for students who need a physical outlet. Do you have rocking chairs? Think beyond the traditonal rocking chair – many libraries now incorporate chairs that have a back that leans back slightly when pressed or legs with a slight curve at the edges.

37 Library Environment

Sensory Issues and Solutons: General Overload

Issue: Though many academic libraries are making the shif toward a learning commons environment, this might be overwhelming to individuals with ASD who ofen value clear boundaries in the physical space.

Soluton: Visual parameters are important in the library setng to help individuals with ASD understand boundaries and expectatons within the physical environment. Think about your help desks, checkout statons, or other areas where individuals may congregate for access to materials or for assistance from a librarian. Labeling these areas and defning where lines form might help not just those with autsm but assist everyone in understanding where to wait in line (rather than crowding the desk for library services).

Research shows.... “It is also important to bear in mind that certain shifs in academic libraries towards open 'learning commons' environments may be helpful to some users, but can prove intmidatng or overwhelming to others” (Lawrence, 2014).

38 Library Environment

A Librarian’s Perspectve

A librarian, advocate, and individual with autsm, Lawrence illustrated an example of how neurological diferences created a “systematc disadvantage” in the library. The difcultes with sensory integraton, spatal confusion, and social anxiety resulted in the following:

"The entrance to the library spilled into reference and circulaton desks, self-checkout machines, a whirl of human actvity. As I stood there, atemptng (and failing) to get my bearings … constant moton was my only defense against the milieu of the library. It can be difcult to know where my limbs are in space or to antcipate how others will move, but walking quickly in whatever directon stll mutes the fear of human interacton and the anxiety generated by spatal disorientaton. It is also a more socially acceptable—though less efectve— coping mechanism than hand fapping or spontaneous vocalizaton.

Afer a few haphazard turns and loops around the frst foor, I found an elevator to the stacks, where yellow fuorescent lightng buzzed overhead, vibratng through my eyes and into my brain. Dizzy and nauseous, I marched around several foors of the library with a kind of mock purpose…" (Lawrence, 2013).

To get an idea of how this might feel, you can visit Carly’s Café where you will experience autsm through a young woman’s perspectve. Think about how Carly’s experiences in the café might translate to a student’s experiences in the library.

htp://bit.ly/2jxEM0s

What is one area in your library that might be overwhelming for Carly? How might that area be improved?

39 Library Environment

Universal Design

Universal Design was frst introduced as an architectural concept for interior design. This concept is not to be confused with Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an approach based in instructon, which is covered in chapter 4.

We ofen hear the term Universal Design when describing accessible spaces for individuals with disabilites, but what does this really mean? Universal Design is the idea that services and supports are designed with all users in mind – in essence, these approaches are partcularly helpful for diverse populatons, but meant to be accessible by the greatest number of individuals, to the greatest extent possible (Follete Story, Mueller, & Mace, 1998; Mcguire, Scot, & Shaw, 2006).

Principles of Universal Design

Equitable: The design is useful and marketable to people with Tolerance for Error: The design minimizes hazards and adverse 1 5 diverse abilites. consequences of accidental or unintended actons.

Flexible: The design accommodates a wide range of individual Low Physical Efort: The design can be used efciently, 2 6 preferences and abilites. comfortably and with minimum fatgue.

Simple and Intuitve: Use is easy to understand, regardless Size and Space: Appropriate size and space is provided for 3 of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or 7 approach, reach, manipulaton, and use regardless of user’s concentraton level. body size, posture, or mobility.

Perceptble Informaton: The design efectvely communicates 4 informaton, regardless of ambient conditons or the user’s Click each principle to read more. sensory abilites.

Research shows.... Dr. Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D. with the University of Washington’s Disabilites, Opportunites, Internet, and Technology (DO-IT) program have developed the Equal Access: Universal Design of Libraries checklist “for making libraries welcoming, accessible, and usable” (Burgstahler, 2012).

40 Library Environment

Now, consider how these principles translate to your library’s physical environment, especially with the knowledge you now have about students with autsm. The following are some suggestons to get you started thinking on this topic. All libraries are unique and will require diferent consideratons, so please use the following table as a startng point for your own brainstorming.

Consideratons for Students with Principle Our Library ASD

1: Equitable Use. The design is useful Integrated, adaptable seatng areas in library study rooms such as individual and marketable to people with chairs and tables with adjustable diverse abilites. privacy screens.

Checkout staton that ofers optons 2: Flexibility in Use: The design including self-checkout as well as accommodates a wide range of opportunites to interact with and be individual preferences and abilites. helped by a library staf member.

3: Simple and Intuitve Use: The design is easy to understand, Visual aids included on signage along regardless of the user’s experience, with text such as what noise levels knowledge, language skills, or current expectatons are for each area. concentraton level. While avoiding startling noises on 4: Perceptble Informaton: The the intercom system, provide gentle design communicates necessary verbal reminders to alert students informaton efectvely to the user, when the library is preparing to regardless of ambient conditons or close, in additon to already available the user’s sensory abilites. signage or writen reminders. The use of computer sofware that 5: Tolerance for Error: The design provides warnings when the student’s minimizes hazards and the adverse alloted tme is nearly up and periodic consequences of accidental or reminders to save work, helping unintended actons. those who may have lost track of tme and not saved important work.

Installing easy to use door handles 6: Low Physical Efort: The design can and/or touch butons for automatc be used efciently and comfortably door opening that do not require and with a minimum of fatgue. strong motor skills.

7: Size and Space for Approach and Creatng a barrier free library Use: Appropriate size and space entryway, using visual boundaries are provided for approach, reach, to delineate space as opposed to manipulaton, and use regardless of physical boundaries. user’s body size, posture, or mobility.

41 Library Environment

Equal Access: Universal Design of Libraries

The University of Washington’s DO-IT program provides a handy checklist that librarians can use to evaluate their spaces for various aspects of universal design.

Planning, Policies, and Evaluaton q Do elevators have auditory, visual, and tactle signals Consider diversity issues as you plan and evaluate and are elevator controls accessible from a seated services. positon?

q Are wheelchair-accessible restrooms with well marked q Are people with disabilites, racial and ethnic signs available in or near the library? minorites, men and women, young and old students, and other groups represented on your staf in q Are informaton desks and facilites such as book numbers proportonal to those of the whole campus returns wheelchair accessible? or community? q Is adequate light available? q Does the library have a writen policy and descripton q Are aisles kept wide and clear of obstructons for of services for patrons with disabilites, including the safety of users who have mobility or visual informaton on how to request accommodatons? impairments? q Is accessibility included in the procurement of library q Are there ample high-contrast, large print directonal holdings? signs throughout the library? Are shelf and stack q Does the library have a procedure in place that ensures identfers provided in large print and Braille formats? tmely response to requests for disability-related Are call numbers on book spines printed in large type? accommodatons and other special assistance? Is equipment marked with large print and Braille labels? q Are disability-related access issues addressed in your evaluaton methods? q Are private study areas available for patrons with disabilites who need to bring personal equipment, Physical Environments and Products who need the assistance of a reader, or who are Ensure physical access, comfort, and safety within an distracted by noise and movement? environment that is inclusive of people with a variety of abilites, racial and ethnic backgrounds, genders, and ages. Library Staf Make sure staf are prepared to work with all patrons. q Are there parking areas, pathways, and entrances to the library that are wheelchair-accessible and clearly q Are all staf members aware of issues related to identfed? communicatng with patrons of diferent races and ethnicites, ages, and abilites? q Are all levels of the library connected via an accessible route of travel, or are there procedures to assist patrons Adapted from “Equal Access: Universal Design in Libraries,” by S. with mobility impairments in retrieving materials from Burgstahler, 2009, DO-IT. Copyright 2018 by University of Washington. inaccessible locatons? Adapted with permission.

42 Library Environment

Equal Access: Universal Design of Libraries q Are staf trained in the use of the Telecommunicatons q Are resource delivery services available for patrons Relay Service, as well as assistve computer technology unable to leave their homes, retrement facilites, or provided in the library? hospitals? q Are staf trained in policies and procedures for providing q Are applicatons for the natonwide network of Talking accommodatons to patrons with disabilites? Book and Braille Libraries available for patrons with print-related disabilites? q Do staf members have ready access to a list of resources for patrons with disabilites? q In key publicatons and on your website, do you include a statement about your commitment to universal q Are staf knowledgeable about federally funded Talking access and procedures for requestng disability related Book and Braille Libraries and other organizatons that accommodatons? For example, “Our library’s goal is provide relevant services to patrons with disabilites? to make all materials and actvites accessible. Please q Do service staf wear large-print name badges? inform project staf of accessibility barriers you encounter and of accommodatons that will make q If there are staf members with sign language skills, are informaton resources accessible to you.” they identfed to other staf members so that, when available, they can assist patrons who are deaf? q Do videos developed or used in the library have captons? For more informaton, consult Creatng Informaton Resources and Technology Video and Multmedia Products That Are Accessible to Ensure that publicatons and websites welcome a People with Sensory Impairments. diverse group and content is accessible to everyone. q Are all printed library publicatons available (immediately or in a tmely manner) in alternate q Can the library’s electronic and informaton resources, formats such as Braille, large print, and electronic text? including web pages, online catalogs, indexes, and fulltext databases and CD-ROMs, be accessed with a q Are key documents provided in languages other than variety of adaptve computer technologies such as English? screen readers? q Do electronic resources, including web pages, adhere q Are librarians prepared to assist patrons with to accessibility guidelines adopted by your insttuton inaccessible electronic resources by providing or library? Secton 508 Standards for Accessible consultatons or materials in other formats? Electronic and Informaton Technology and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are most q Are reader and research assistants available to patrons commonly used. For general informaton about with visual impairments? making your website accessible to everyone, consult q Are reference and circulaton services available by both World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design video and phone and email? publicaton.

Adapted from “Equal Access: Universal Design in Libraries,” by S. Burgstahler, 2009, DO-IT. Copyright 2018 by University of Washington. Adapted with permission.

43 Library Environment

Equal Access: Universal Design of Libraries q Do you include a statement on your website afrming Events your commitment to accessible design? For example, Ensure that everyone feels welcome and can partcipate “We strive to make our website universally accessible. in events sponsored by the organizaton. We provide text descriptons of graphics and photos. Video clips are open captoned and audio-described, q Are events located in wheelchair accessible facilites? providing access to users who can’t hear the audio or Is the accessible entrance clearly marked? see the video, respectvely. Suggestons for increasing q Is informaton about how to request disability-related the accessibility of these pages are welcome.” accommodatons included in publicatons promotng q Is an adjustable-height table available for each type of events? workstaton to assist students who use wheelchairs or q Is accessible transportaton available if transportaton are small or large in stature? is arranged for other partcipants? q Do you provide adequate work space for both lef- and Adapted from “Equal Access: Universal Design in Libraries,” by S. right-handed users? Burgstahler, 2009, DO-IT. Copyright 2018 by University of Washington. Adapted with permission. q Is sofware to enlarge screen images and a large monitor available to assist students with low vision and learning disabilites? q Do you provide a trackball to be used by someone who has difculty controlling a mouse? q Are wrist and forearm rests available to assist some people with mobility impairments? q Are staf members aware of accessibility optons (e.g., enlarged text feature) included in computer operatng systems and of assistve technology available in the facility? q Are procedures in place for a tmely response to requests for assistve technology?

44 Library Environment

Planning for Renovatons

Use the embedded resources, including the SWOT template and Environmental Checklist, to help you prepare for any changes, large or small, you plan to implement in your library’s environment. Additonally, ensure that you are incorporatng feedback from stakeholders as you plan. Can you invite representatves from your ofce for Paul Wyss, A+ Advisory Board Member, Distance Learning disability services? What about an autsm awareness group Librarian, and autsm advocate. on your campus or educators and researchers in Special Educaton or Communicaton Sciences and Disorders? "I think it’s a very good idea to see how Most importantly, can you gather feedback from students someone approaches a complex library, with ASD themselves? Try placing QR codes that link to like libraries are these days. And also an anonymous survey in your library’s newsleter or link their verbal impressions of what they to the survey from your social media pages. Ask your encounter while they are going through stakeholders what changes they would like to see in your the library. Because I think what people library to make the environment beter for students with can do is, I’ve done this as well, is it’s ASD, as well as what helpful aspects of the environment very easy to guess what people are they think are already in place. thinking, but it’s very difcult to know Use this space to list stakeholder groups important for what they are thinking, or how they your planning. approach things."

Including stakeholders at the beginning of any project is especially important when funding is at stake. One librarian described a recent renovaton at her library, and how her new knowledge of students with ASD might have come too late:

"...trying to fnd more money in the budget to redo something that has One innovatve approach to gathering feedback from already been redone is going to be students with ASD is to give them a small video recorder difcult because they are like, we just such as a GoPro and ask them to tour your library with a did it a few years ago, we don’t have copy of the environment checklist. As they walk through the budget, we don’t have the tme, we the library’s environment, they can take notes on the need to fgure out…trying to fgure out checklist as well as verbalize their experience, discussing a fx, but depending on what it is, it may their observatons along the way. not be fxable."

45 Library Environment

Interactng with Library Resources

Though many individuals with ASD appreciate systematcally organized materials, transitoning from one classifcaton system to another can be a challenge for some who perhaps learned the Dewey Decimal system in public or school libraries and now must learn Library of Congress. As one college student laments, “Our library uses a really confusing cataloging system, too! Why can’t we just have the Dewey Decimal System?” and another states, “No I Philip Zupon (2013), a librarian with ASD, similarly don’t like using the library on campus. It’s really confusing suggests a proactve approach for librarians to assist with to try and fnd books for a start” (Anderson, 2016, p. 69). locatng materials:

Adria Nassim describes the challenges she faces when trying to fnd books on the shelves: "If a student in your library appears lost and at the same tme too afraid to ask "My learning disability afects my spatal for help, don’t be afraid to walk over to processing so being able to deal with them and nicely ask them if they need anything that’s abstract, lef right, can any help fnding anything." you count money, can you make change, so being able to fnd my way around a building is really hard." Additonally, you might consider implementng an online mapping system; Florida State University Libraries uses a program that, once a material is selected online, There are practcal solutons, both low and high tech, that displays the foor and shelving locaton on a clear map, can be used to address these concerns. As she contnues, leading to easier access of materials and less chance for frustraton. "...if you could maybe go get the books they need, or go get them all and have it waitng at the desk and say when you come here. If you know when they’re planning to come, or if they come and you just go get it and have it waitng at the desk, and they go sit down at the study carrel and do their research, and just do it that way instead of writng out a call number or whatever it is you do and saying, it’s in the 300s, look it up. That could help."

46 Library Environment

Next Steps

How else could you consider making your library a more welcoming place for people with ASD? Refer back to the SWOT template and use the space here to refect upon what you learned, what you want to achieve, and how you will get there.

Library Environment Goal:

OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES A good objectve will be quantfed (ted to specifc numbers), qualifed (where you describe the kind of change you want to see) and should have a set tme frame. If you don’t have all three of these components, it will be difcult to tell whether you have achieved your objectve.

If your goal was to have an online study room reservaton system, your objectve could be “By June of next year, we will have an online study room reservaton system available on the library’s website.” One strategy could include: “By January of next year, the IT department researches pricing and functonalites of potental room management systems and recommends a service to library administraton.”

You will fll in the objectves early in the training and the tactcs and tmeline at the end. OBJECTIVES STRATEGIES TIMELINE What are the changes you need to see What actvites will you need to conduct What is the tmeline for implementng in your library’s situaton to make your to make those changes happen? these actvites? Try to be specifc, environment goal possible? knowing you can change the schedule later.

1 2 3

1 2 3

1 2 3

47 Library Environment

References American Psychiatric Associaton. (2013). Diagnostc and statstcal manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing. Anderson, A. (2016). Wrong planet, right library: College students with autsm spectrum disorder and the academic library (Doctoral dissertaton). Retrieved from DigiNole. (htp://purl.fvc.org/fsu/fd/ FSU_2016SP_Anderson_fsu_0071E_13037) Anderson, A. (2018). Autsm and the academic library: A study of online communicaton. College & Research Libraries. Advance online publicaton. Retrieved from htp://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/artcle/

view/16763/18301 Associaton of College & Research Libraries. (2006). A student’s guide to evaluatng libraries in colleges and universites. Retrieved from htp://www.ala.org/acrl/issues/marketng/studentsguide Burgstahler, S. (2012). Equal access: Universal design of libraries. Disabilites, Opportunites, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT). Retrieved from htp://www.washington.edu/doit/equal-access-universal- design-libraries Eng, A. (2017). Neurodiversity in the library: One librarian’s experience. In the Library with a Lead Pipe. Retrieved from htp://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2017/neurodiversity-in-the-library/ Everhart, N., Woods, J., Anderson, A., & Delehanty, A. (2016). Environment checklist. Project PALS. Retrieved from htp://learn.webjuncton.org/course/view.php?id=201 Follete Story, M., Mueller, J. L., & Mace, R. L. (1998). The universal design fle: Designing for people of all ages and abilites. North Carolina State University, Center for Universal Design. Retrieved from htp://fles. eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED460554.pdf Gleason, A. W. (2017). New methods of teaching and learning in libraries. London: Rowman & Litlefeld Publishers. Grantham, L. J. (2013) Self accommodaton. In E. Ashkenazy and M. Latmer (Eds.) Navigatng college: A handbook on self advocacy writen for autstc students from autstc adults (36-40). Washington, D.C.: Autstc Self Advocacy Network.

48 Library Environment

Kim, C. (2014) Sensory sensitvites and atypical sensory processing. Musings of an Aspie. Retrieved from htps://musingsofanaspie.com/2014/01/28/sensory-sensitvites-and-atypical-sensory- processing/#more-1883 Kim, C. (2015). Nerdy, shy, and socially inappropriate: A user guide to an Asperger life. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Lawrence, E. (2013). Loud hands in the library: Neurodiversity in LIS theory & practce. Progressive Librarian, (41) 98–109. Long, E. A. (2010). Classroom lightng design for students with autsm spectrum disorders (Doctoral

dissertaton, Kansas State University). Madriaga, M. (2010). ‘I avoid pubs and the student union like the plague’: Students with Asperger Syndrome and their negotaton of university spaces. Children’s Geographies, 8(1), 39-50. Mandel, L. H., & Johnston, M. P. (2017). Evaluatng library signage: A systematc method for conductng a library signage inventory. Journal of Librarianship and Informaton Science. Mcguire, J. M., Scot, S. S., & Shaw, S. F. (2006). Universal design and its applicatons in educatonal environments. Remedial and Special Educaton, 27(3), 166–175. htps://doi.org/10.1177/07419325060 270030501 Riley-Huf, D. A. (2012). Web accessibility and universal design: A primer on standards and best practces for libraries. Library Technology Reports, 48(7), 29–35. Staines, G. M. (2012). Universal design: a practcal guide to creatng and recreatng interiors of academic libraries for teaching, learning and research. Oxford: Chandos Publishing. Van Hees, V., Moyson, T., & Roeyers, H. (2015). Higher educaton experiences of students with autsm spectrum disorder: Challenges, benefts and support needs. Journal of Autsm and Developmental Disorders, 45(6), 1673-1688. Wilkof, W. L.; Abed, L. W. (1994). Practcing universal design: An interpretaton of the ADA. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. Zupon, P. (2013). Academic libraries and college students with autsm spectrum disorder: How can we help? Retrieved from htps://blogs.wayne.edu/turninginformatonintoknowledge/2013/03/12/academic-

libraries-and-college-students-with-autsm-spectrum-disorder-how-can-we-help/

49 Appendix A: Environmental Rubric

Baseline Environmental Rubric

Directions: can the lirars phsical enironent to assess or ease o se or stdents ith atis. core each ite ro to and total all pages at the end.

Not Addressed (0) Partially Addressed (1) Addressed (2) Well Addressed (3) Exceptionally Well Addressed (4) Score

There are multiple signs The building is centrally located, there There are one or more The building cannot be There are one or more directing user to the library are multiple signs directing user to the The library signs directing user to the found without asking for signs directing user to location, clear signage on the library location, clear signage on the building is easy library location, and clear help. library location library building itself, and the library building itself, and the building to find. signage on library building building (or signage) is (or signage) is identifiable from a itself. identifiable from a distance. distance.

Comments/

Action Plan

Entry is open, spacious enough Entry is open, spacious enough so that Entry to main so that lines do not form, and lines do not form, and easy to area is The entry way is small or The entry way has some Entry is open, spacious easy to physically navigate. physically navigate. There are no sufficiently cluttered, with barriers to barriers to entry (e.g. enough so that lines do There are no barriers to entry barriers to entry way, or there are spacious to entry (e.g. turnstiles turnstiles without not form, and easy to way, or there are explicit and explicit and highly visible directions for reduce crowding without adequate adequate signage). physically navigate. highly visible directions for navigating barriers (e.g. turnstiles). and easy to signage). navigating barriers (e.g. Welcoming staff is available at entry navigate. turnstiles). way.

Comments/

Action Plan

Floorplans are available at Floorplans are available at multiple Floorplans are available at multiple locations per floor, locations per floor, show detailed No floorplan is available multiple locations per Detailed floor show detailed information information (quiet floors, for example), (evacuation plans are not Floorplans are available floor, show detailed plans are (quiet floors, for example), and and are consistent and professional in considered a library near elevators or stairs. information (quiet floors, available. are highly visible. Floorplans format, avoiding jargon. Floor plans are floorplan). for example), and are are consistent and professional available in multiple formats – signage, highly visible. in format, avoiding jargon. print, and digital.

Comments/

Action Plan Appropriate signage is placed at “bump When you are in the points” and the library has been It is not easy to find your library, you can easily find Appropriate signage is placed When you are in deliberately arranged for ease of way around the library Library is difficult to your way around. at “bump points” and the the library, you navigation. Additionally, directional due to little/no/bad navigate but you can Appropriate signage is library has been deliberately can easily find signs are placed strategically and only directional signage, or figure it out. placed at “bump points”1 arranged for ease of your way around. as needed (no unnecessary signage) obstacles. and there are no navigation. and staff are eager to help navigate the obstacles. building.

Comments/

Action Plan

Signage is hard to read Signage is either hard to Signage is professional, Signage is easy to (color, bold, italics, etc), read (color, bold, italics, consistently formatted, and read, consistently Signage is easy to read, inconsistent, and located etc), inconsistent, or strategically located formatted, and consistently formatted, Signage is a model for other libraries in inconsistently (if at all) located inconsistently (if throughout facility. Signage located and located throughout both design and terminology. throughout the facility. at all) throughout the avoids professional jargon and throughout facility. Signage uses negative facility. Signage uses idioms/metaphors/etc. and facility. terminology. negative terminology. uses positive terminology.

Comments/

Action Plan

Hours are posted at or on the front The library hours Hours are posted at or on the Hours are posted at or on door of all entrances, of operation are Hours are not highly front door of all entrances and No hours are posted. the front door of all circulation/information desk, online easy to read and visible. are highly visible with entrances. and as a handout and are highly visible clearly posted. professional signage. with professional signage. v

Comments/

Action Plan

Some individual seating Multiple types of individual Individual seating options are provided, Only one type of seating options such as desks, Multiple types of individual seating No individual seating options are but they are not easy to Individual seating option cubicles, work stations, soft options are provided and are easy to options are provided. provided. access, usually full, or is provided. chairs and study rooms are access and usually available. hard to find. provided are provided.

1 https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2012/03/20/directions-to-library-wayfinding/

Page Total: ______Comments/

Action Plan

There are barriers to use of individual work Multiple types of individual Multiple types of individual work Individual work spaces. For example, no work spaces are available with spaces are available with no barriers to spaces, such as empty study carrels, no no barriers to access. Work access. Work spaces have options for Individual work spaces study carrels and No individual work spaces options to provide spaces have options for customization according to need: for are available and there individual tables available. privacy, clutter, difficult customization according to example, individual lamps, privacy are no barriers to access. with seating, are to find within the library, need: for example, individual shades, or even “fit desks”. Signage available. or worn lamps, privacy shades, or even indicates where to locate types of work out/unwelcoming “fit desks”. spaces. furniture or spaces.

Comments/

Action Plan

Private rooms for Room/workspace Room/workspace reservation Room/workspace reservation are Room/workspace individual and reservation are Room/workspace are available, and guidelines available, and guidelines are posted in reservation unavailable group study are available, but there are reservation are available, are posted in area and either area and either online or other obvious (e.g. first come first available and no clear instructions or and guidelines are posted online or other obvious location (on a floor plan, for example). served) or no reservation directions are instructions are in area. location (on a floor plan, for Detailed instructions for information posted. clearly indicated. inconsistently placed. example). use/expectations are also posted.

Comments/

Action Plan

Rooms (such as Rooms and spaces are classrooms) and indicated by signage that rooms and spaces marked by room Rooms and spaces are Rooms and spaces are marked spaces are Rooms and spaces are not is not clear (e.g. rooms numbers, purpose, guidelines for use, marked by room numbers by room numbers, purpose, indicated by indicated by signage. named after donors, but and signage which is consistent and their purpose. and guidelines for use. clear, consistent no indication of their throughout facility signage. purpose).

Comments/

Action Plan

Page Total: ______Expectation for Expectation for noise Expectation for noise levels is Expectation for noise levels is clearly noise levels is Expectation for noise There are no signs that levels is clearly marked clearly marked with signage marked with signage and otherwise clearly marked levels is clearly marked denote appropriate noise with signage in some and otherwise noted (for noted (for example on floor plans) in with signage in with signage in level in the library. collaborative spaces, but example on floor plans) in collaborative spaces. Signage is clear, collaborative collaborative spaces. is not consistent. collaborative spaces. consistent and visually pleasing. spaces.

Comments/

Action Plan

Expectation for Expectation for noise Expectation for noise levels is Expectation for noise levels is clearly Expectation for noise noise levels is There are no signs that levels is clearly marked clearly marked with signage marked with signage and otherwise levels is clearly marked clearly marked denote appropriate noise with signage in some and otherwise noted (for noted (for example on floor plans) in with signage in quiet with signage in level in the library. quiet spaces, but is not example on floor plans) in quiet spaces. Signage is clear, spaces. quiet spaces. consistent. quiet spaces. consistent and visually pleasing.

Comments/

Action Plan

Visual boundaries are Visual boundaries are used Visual boundaries are Visual boundaries are used throughout used throughout Visual boundaries are throughout the library to Spaces for specific used inconsistently the library to clearly define space used the library to used throughout the clearly define space used for activities are not clearly within the library to for specific activities – multiple types of clearly define library to clearly define specific activities – multiple defined by visual define space used for boundaries are utilized (e.g. strategic space for specific space used for specific types of boundaries are boundaries (e.g. strategic specific activities (e.g. furniture placement, stanchions, floor activities (e.g. activities (e.g. strategic utilized (e.g. strategic furniture furniture placement). strategic furniture tape, etc) and boundaries are strategic furniture placement). placement, stanchions, floor placement). consistent and visually pleasing furniture tape, etc). placement).

Comments/

Action Plan

Page Total: ______Library work stations are free Library work stations are free of clutter, of clutter, provide helpful Library work stations are provide helpful items for students (such Library work stations are items for students (such as Library work free of clutter, and as staplers near the printing station), cluttered with items such Work stations are free of staplers near the printing stations are free provide helpful items for and have explicit directions for use as unnecessary fliers, clutter. station), and have explicit of clutter. students (such as staplers (such as printing instructions, microfilm trash, etc. directions for use (such as near the printing station). reader instructions, etc.). There are no printing instructions, microfilm barriers to access. reader instructions, etc.).

Comments/

Action Plan

Computer terminals are Computer terminals are available and Computer Computer terminals are available with no barriers to easily accessible. The space is logically terminals available but there are Computer terminals are Computer terminals are access. The space is logically organized for ease of use with no (OPACs) are some barriers to access available with no barriers not available. organized for ease of use with clutter such as unnecessary signage. available and (e.g. monitors turned to access. no clutter such as unnecessary Clear directions indicate how to use easily accessible. off). signage. computer terminals.

Comments/

Action Plan

Student accessed computer labs are Student computer labs Student computer labs are Student accessed available and easily accessible. Clear are available but not Student computer labs available and easily accessible. computer labs No computer labs signage/materials indicate expectations easily accessible are available and easily Clear signage/materials are available and available for student use. and policies. Website reflects number (barriers might include accessible. indicate expectations and easily accessible. of computers available at any given turnstiles, etc.). policies. time for advanced preparation.

Comments/

Action Plan

Names of some staff are posted, but are not Names, roles and contact Names, of staff are provided through Names of Names of frontline staff No names of staff are obvious (for example, on information of frontline staff nametags. Names, roles and contact frontline staff are are provided through publicly posted. their office doors, are provided through signage information of frontline staff are publicly posted. signage or nametags. online, or through in the library. provided through signage in the library. business card displays).

Page Total: ______Comments/

Action Plan

Clear, consistent signage Some signage indicating Clear, consistent signage indicates Signage indicates indicates where in-house where materials should Clear, consistent signage where in-house materials should be where in-house No signage indicating materials should be returned be returned after use, indicates where in-house returned after use. Signage is materials should where materials should after use. Signage is but uses jargon, is materials should be professional and turn-in locations AND be returned after be returned after use. professional, OR turn-in unclear, or is returned after use. consistently placed throughout the use. locations are consistently inconsistently placed. library. placed throughout the library.

Comments/

Action Plan

As least one At least one library book At least one library book Book drop is accessible 24 Multiple book drops are accessible 24 library book drop No library book drop is drop is open and drop is accessible 24 hours a day, marked as such, hours a day, marked as such, in is always open visible. accessible when the hours a day. and in a prominent location. prominent locations. and accessible. library is open.

Comments/

Action Plan

Visual supports Schedules of classes and Schedules of classes and such as calendars Visual supports such as Schedules of classes and Schedules of classes and calendars calendars posted in only calendars posted in two and class calendars and schedules calendars posted on a bulletin posted on a bulletin board, flyers one location (bulletin locations (bulletin board, schedules are are not available or are board, flyers available in print available in print and online, with board, flyers to take flyers to take home, available and in not up to date. and online. interactive links. home, online, etc). online, etc.) multiple formats.

Comments/

Action Plan

Page Total: ______Classes are posted in at Classes or Classes are posted in at least one location or Classes are posted in at least Classes are posted in at least one programs have least one location or format. Classes or one location or format. Classes location or format. Classes or programs clear No classes or programs format, but do not have programs have one of the or programs have two of the have all of the following: clear descriptions, a are evident. descriptions, a syllabus, following: clear following: clear descriptions, a descriptions, a syllabus, and list of syllabus, and list or guidelines attached. descriptions, a syllabus, or syllabus, or list of guidelines. guidelines. of guidelines. list of guidelines.

Comments/

Action Plan

Equipment checkouts available but some Equipment Equipment checkouts available Equipment checkouts available and barriers exist (e.g. Equipment checkouts checkouts and and posted through highly posted through highly visible signage in No equipment checkout is materials only available available and posted expectations for visible signage in multiple multiple places - online, in house, or as available. with payment; for in- online, in house, or as a use are clearly places - online, in house, or as a handout. Expectations for use are house use only, etc) or handout. delineated. a handout. clearly delineated. information about this service is hard to find.

Comments/

Action Plan

Headphones are available to checkout or Headphones are available to checkout Headphones are use in the library but Headphones are available Headphones are available to or use in the library with no barriers to available to No headphones are there are barriers to use to checkout or use in the checkout or use in the library use. Clear signage indicates availability, checkout or use available for checkout. (e.g. headphones only library with no barriers to with no barriers to use. Clear and clear procedures for attainment in the library. available with payment; use. signage indicates availability. and use. for in-house use only, etc).

Comments/

Action Plan

Restrooms are clearly Restrooms are Restrooms are not clearly Restrooms have highly visible signage Restrooms have Restrooms are clearly designated and located clearly designated/are hard to in multiple formats and are able to be limited/obscure signage. designated. consistently throughout the designated. find. seen from a distance. library.

Page Total: ______Comments/

Action Plan

Lighting can be adjusted in some spaces, including Lighting can be adjusted in many Lighting can be adjusted multiple forms of light spaces, including multiple forms of light Lighting can be Lighting can be adjusted in some spaces, including switches or dimmers, natural switches or dimmers, natural light with adjusted in Lighting is universal to the in some spaces, but it is multiple forms of light light with blinds, or individual blinds, or individual table lamps. designated building. not consistent, and no switches or dimmers, table lamps. Signage indicates Signage indicates this both at the spaces. signage indicates this. natural light with blinds, this at the location or on the location AND on the floor plan, online, or individual table lamps. floor plan, online, or within or within handouts. handouts.

Comments/

Action Plan

Multiple Multiple entrances or entrances or Only one entrance and Multiple entrances or exits are exits are available (for exits are Only sliding doors are exit area (this refers to Multiple entrances or exits are available, including alternatives to example, one access point available, available as entrance the area itself, not available, including sliding doors. Clear signage from from the parking lot and including and/or exit. whether there are alternatives to sliding doors. campus or parking lots indicates one access point from the alternatives to multiple doors). locations. main campus). sliding doors.

Comments/

Action Plan

Entrances and exits are clearly Entrances and Entrances and exits are Entrances and exits are clearly Entrances and exits are Entrances and exits are designated, and clear signage indicates exits are clearly designated but not with designated with clear, not clearly designated. clearly designated. locations and they are located on floor designated. consistent signage. consistent signage. plans/materials within the library.

Comments/

Action Plan

Page Total: ______Employment and volunteer Employment and Employment and volunteer Employment or Employment and opportunities at the library for students volunteer No employment or opportunities at the library for volunteer opportunities volunteer opportunities are posted in multiple places (on the opportunities for volunteer opportunities students are posted in multiple on campus for students at the library for students website; as a sign; as handouts, etc.). students are for students are posted. places (on the website; as a are posted. are posted. Signs are highly visible, and welcoming posted. sign; as handouts, etc.). and inviting for students to apply.

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Library policies Library policies posted in all three are available in Library policies posted in Library policies posted in all formats – signage, print, and digital – No comprehensive library Library policies posted in multiple formats format – signage, print, three formats – signage, print, and highly visible upon entrance into policies posted two formats. – signage, print, or digital. and digital. the library and featured prominently on and digital. the website (not buried).

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Action Plan

Some clocks are Clocks are consistently Clocks are available throughout the available throughout the Clocks are consistently available available No clocks are available Clocks are available library as visual cues for library as visual cues for time throughout the library as visual cues for throughout the throughout the library as throughout the library as time management, but management (e.g. placed in time management (e.g. placed in the library as visual visual cues for time visual cues for time placement is the same spot on each floor) same spot on each floor) and are cues for time management. management. inconsistent, or clocks OR are clearly visible/easy to clearly visible/easy to read. management. are hard to find. read.

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Cataloging explanation Cataloging explanation Cataloging explanation posted posted on at least one posted consistently on Cataloging explanation posted consistently on endcaps or endcap (or their endcaps or equivalent consistently on endcaps or in other Education their equivalent throughout equivalent) as signage throughout the library relevant places throughout the library provided to the library (Library of Congress No cataloging education (for example Library of (Library of Congress or (Library of Congress or Dewey or other familiarize or Dewey or other provided. Congress poster or key Dewey or other comprehensive system used). students with comprehensive system used). to specific sections such comprehensive system Education also available in at least cataloging Education also available in at as fiction or government used). Education also three of the following: online, as a system. least two of the following: documents), online, as a available online, as a class, through handouts, or on floor online, as a class, through class, through handouts, class, or through plans. handouts, or on floor plans. or on floor plans. handouts.

Page Total: ______Comments/

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Self-checkout, or other alternative Self-checkout, or other Self-checkout, or other Self-checkout, or other alternative checkout alternative checkout alternative checkout method, checkout method, is clearly identified, Self-checkout, or method, is clearly No self or alternative method, is clearly is clearly identified, and step- and step-by-step instructions for use alternative checkout identified, and checkout available identified, and step-by- by-step instructions for use are are posted in a clearly visible location. method, is available. step-by-step step instructions for use posted in a clearly visible Staff are proactive in suggesting these instructions for are posted. location. methods. use are posted.

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Action Plan

Multiple areas Multiple areas marked Multiple areas clearly marked with Only one large, Multiple areas marked for Multiple areas clearly marked marked for for communication with highly visible, consistent signage for intimidating desk for communication with with highly visible, consistent communication library staff, but main communication with library staff. interaction with library library staff (no signage for communication with library staff point of contact is Roving librarians are available. Areas staff. “megadesk”). with library staff. (no “megadesk”). “megadesk.” are welcoming with no clear barriers.

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Action Plan

Sufficient staff is available to help and Staff is available at more Staff are available throughout are particularly welcoming. Additional Sufficient staff is No staff is available to Staff is available at than one desk throughout library – both at desks, and services are offered, such as the available to help. help. circulation desk. the library. roving. opportunity to reserve staff time for consultations, etc.

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Page Total: ______Communicaton

3 Communicaton

Listening, cooperatng, and communicatng efectvely is described in one study as “the most prominent area of difculty” for postsecondary students on the autsm spectrum (Elias & White, 2017), and can manifest in “I got an email from a lecturer once. I asked negatve interactons not just socially, but also in the him, I’ve done this, is that okay or do I classroom (Cai & Richdale, 2016). need to do this? He said, no what you did is fne. But what he meant was, no what you Students with ASD may draw unwanted atenton did isn’t fne, and you need to do this. (…) to themselves because of their atypical speech or Sometmes people say something but mean conversatonal paterns, such as defcits in intonaton, or something else and [people with autsm] rate, tone, and volume of speech. For example, someone don’t understand the connecton between with ASD may speak louder than expected, with more vocal an innuendo and a follow on statement” intensity than is typical, or have mechanical, monotone (Cai & Richdale, 2016, pp. 34-35). speech.

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ASD students may understand informaton in the spaces, materials, informaton, staf and other students. abstract but experience grave difcultes in responding Students with ASD should be able to partcipate in all that to similar situatons in real life. They can ofen state the the library has to ofer both educatonally and socially. In correct response but have difculty changing their behavior this chapter, we will describe some of the communicaton to match environmental expectatons. In other instances, challenges for students with ASD and strategies to facilitate these students might say things that are considered communicaton. inappropriate or may appear disinhibited or lack a flter. Take a minute now to refect on your own greatest Additonally, they might face difculty understanding communicaton strength and your greatest others’ perspectves. Conversaton can be difcult, and communicaton challenge and some strategies you use individuals with ASD might not know when and how to to compensate for your challenges. initate or close a conversaton, read cues, or shif topics.

With communicaton as one of the main areas of difculty for individuals with ASD, it is essental for library professionals to be prepared to support their communicaton skills in ways that promote access to library

Communicaton Characteristcs and Support Strategies

ASD is not an easily recognized disorder, as there are no communicaton difcultes and may avoid conversatons obvious physical signs. While behavioral observatons are and interactons with others in both social and academic widely used, the outward signs of ASD may be subtle and actvites. As library consumers, they are less likely adults may be experienced at compensatng to circumvent to ask librarians for help, to engage other students in identfcaton. They learn to use strategies to appear social conversatons or partcipate in study groups. neurotypical, ofen making it harder to know when and how to ofer support. The following is an exploraton of common Strategies: Some students may choose to seek communicaton characteristcs with consideratons and individualized or small group support services like those strategies to support students with ASD. ofered through Student Disability Services, the University

Conversaton Characteristcs: Common conversatonal defcits identfed in individuals with ASD include difcultes with initatng (i.e., startng conversatons and introducing new topics), maintaining and extending topics of conversaton by commentng and asking follow-up questons, and sustaining reciprocal responses or multple turns within conversatons. These conversatonal difcultes may vary widely across individuals with ASD. In the college setng, students are generally aware of their

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Speech and Hearing Clinic, or counseling programs on Support Strategy: It is important not to assume that campus to address social communicaton and interacton. if students are not making eye contact, they are not In additon to individualized services, general strategies interested in communicaton. Just because students are that result in improved social-communicaton competence looking away this does not mean that they are no longer in everyday setngs such as the library are very important. seeking your help. It may be anxiety, or a calming strategy Strategies to support conversatons are described in the used to increase atenton and focus on your words by following sectons. minimizing atenton to your face.

A librarian can also provide opportunites to share Eye Contact atenton on the same object, instead of forcing eye contact Characteristcs: Many people with autsm have with a student that seems uncomfortable. This may mean repeatedly shared that eye contact for them can be looking at the same computer screen together to locate an uncomfortable, unnatural, overwhelming, or even painful. artcle as opposed to students researching by themselves. Studies at Massachusets General Hospital (Carter, William, Conversatonal variatons may include limited eye gaze or Minshew, & Lehman, 2012) examined the subcortcal gaze shifs. systems in the brains of both neurotypical subjects and subjects with ASD. These subcortcal systems are areas What is a Meltdown? that play a role in emotonal percepton, are responsible A melt-down is an intense response to for babies’ natural atracton to human faces, and are overwhelming feelings. It happens when someone actvated with eye contact. becomes completely overwhelmed by their current situaton and temporarily loses behavioral control. The autstc partcipants’ subcortcal systems went It is important to recognize that, for individuals with into overdrive when they had to look at eyes. These ASD, it is generally related to stress. Potental stressors results support what people with autsm have been saying include change, uncertainty, sensory/personal contact, all along: they avoid eye contact not because they are food-related actvites, social interactons, and changes indiferent but because it is overwhelming. in routnes. The frequency and intensity of melt downs decrease with age as does their ability to manage In a current study of adults with ASD, researchers stressful situatons. found that “atenton to the experimenter’s face was If someone is having a meltdown, or not responding signifcantly reduced in the autstc adults compared to to you, don’t judge them. It can make a world of the neurotypical adults when the experimenter looked diference to someone on the autsm spectrum and directly at the partcipant,” suggestng a hesitancy to make their careers. Give them some tme as it can take direct eye contact with a person who is actvely seeking a while to recover from an informaton or sensory this engagement (Freeth & Bugembe, 2018). Eye-tracking overload. Calmly ask them if they’re OK and give them studies of individuals with ASD support this asserton, more tme to respond than you might expect. Make and a meta-analysis within this body of work describes a space by trying to create a quiet, safe space as best signifcant reducton in social atenton to not only other’s you can. Ask onlookers to move along and not to stare, eyes, but also other facial features as well (Chita-Tegmark, turn of loud music, and turn down bright lights. Try 2016). whatever you can think of to reduce the informaton overload.

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With a peer, try having a conversaton without making eye contact. Stand next to one another and focus on the same object. In the space below, record what you found easy or difcult about the conversaton. What was missing that made it challenging to carry on the conversaton?

such as gestures and understanding the interactons of two of more people. Because up to 80% of communicaton and social interactons are nonverbal this impacts all aspects of life.

Individuals with ASD may misinterpret body language and social cues, and some might have difculty understanding the concept of personal space. For example, they may not realize that an interacton is over because they did not read their conversaton partner’s nonverbal communicaton such as turning his or her body away, looking at his or her watch, or leaving the area.

Support Strategy: Several techniques can be helpful here. When librarians are aware of this lack of understanding of body language or social cues, they can simply be very direct and explain feelings and directons. For example, a librarian can say, “I will check in with you later. Right now, I need to assist another person.”

Students with ASD may not be able to take in all of the htps://bit.ly/2EgqyW0 informaton given to them during a reference interview if Body Language and Social Cues they are focused on reading your body language. Write Characteristcs: Research on the brain has found down what was discussed during the conversaton, so that, in individuals with ASD, the area that processes students can refer to this informaton later. Allowing for dynamic nonverbal communicatons is underactve. This alternate means of communicaton, such as through chat results in extreme difcultes in following eye gaze and reference or though email, also removes the body language understanding facial expressions and body movements, barriers some students with ASD might face.

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might experience. Slang is easily misunderstood, and Research shows.... humor is ofen too abstract. Even suggestons can get lost “Instructors commented that students with ASDs in translaton. appear to miss the nonverbal social cues of their teacher and peers at tmes. They may not notce Figuratve language, including the use of metaphors, when a discussion subject has changed, when it is idioms, and ironic statements, might manifest in both tme to turn of their computers, or when and how to conversatons in the library and through visual supports. contribute to a group actvity. Missed social cues can What might seem to be a wity sign or directve on the lead to behavior that violates norms, and focus group library’s website could instead be more confusing than respondents provided many observatons of such helpful to a literal thinker who sees things concretely. behavior” (Gobbo & Shmulsky, 2014 p.17).

“As a teenager and young adult I had to use concrete symbols to understand abstract concepts such as getng along with people and moving on to the next steps of my life, both of which were always difcult. I knew I did not ft in with my high school peers, and I was unable to fgure out what I was doing wrong. No mater how hard I tried, they made fun of me. They called me "workhorse," "tape recorder," and "bones" because I was skinny. At the tme I was able to fgure out why they called me "workhorse" and Social cues can be even more challenging in large "bones," but "tape recorder" puzzled me. Now groups, in which a person must make sense of group I realize that I must have sounded like a tape dynamics. Try communicatng one-on-one when possible recorder when I repeated things verbatm over to alleviate this concern. and over” (Grandin, 2006, p. 17).

Placing an interestng object as a focal point behind the reference desk will allow a student with ASD to have Research shows.... somewhere to look as he is communicatng. This might “You know, I learned from experience not to ask “Can relieve some of the pressure to read nonverbal signals. I pet your baby?” I learned to ask “Can I rub your baby’s back?” One thing I did that helped was I just Literal Language: told people “Hey, I don’t understand,” “Hey, what Characteristc: Many individuals with ASD are literal does it mean when you said this?” And I found in thinkers. This is a challenge as typical conversatons or college people were prety willing to explain it” exchanges make use of various types of language, such (Donevan, 2017 para. 14). as irony, sarcasm, or fgures of speech. If you tell literal thinkers that presentng to the class might give you buterfies in your stomach, imagine the confusion they

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Support Strategy: Remember to speak literally, graphic for checkout would also be helpful, not only to avoid confusing fgures of speech, and use direct those with ASD, but other library patrons as well. Analyze language to be very clear in your directons. Be the library’s signage, training manuals, and other materials careful to use straightorward language in printed to look for unnecessary jargon. Make a systematc efort to materials, on the website, and on library signage. replace it. Use the template below to begin brainstorming areas in your library where you can improve existng signage. Shif your gaze from the student's face to an object of joint interest to reduce the pressure on the student to Literal language can actually be a strength when return directed eye gaze to you. Alternatng gaze between communicatng with students with ASD. One college the student and the object shows your contnued interest student with ASD describes how her straightorward while reducing stress. language is valued by her friends: “Friends ofen come to me to tell me their story. A lot of my friends say…that they talk to me easily because we can have an open conversaton. I am free of bias, in the sense that I just honestly tell them the way things are. I do not beat around the bush, I am not unfriendly, just honest (Rosa, aged 21, university)” (Van Hees, Moyson, & Roeyer, 2015, p. 1682).

With a peer, have a simple conversaton where one of you uses body language to express an emoton. Take turns decoding one another’s body language. Try to express diferent emotons (i.e. anger, happiness, sadness). In the space below, record what actons led you identfy the emoton behind the words.

Current Signage: Can be Replaced with... Circulaton Checkouts and Returns Book Drop Return Books Here Reference Research Help

Libraries can provide signage that is based on real world meanings rather than terminology that is library specifc. For example, the connotaton of “circulaton” in a library is diferent than the more general term of circulaton. Using a sign that says “checkout” is clearer and specifc. A simple htps://bit.ly/2EeqTIx

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Asking and Answering Questons • Be patent and ofer a great deal of wait tme afer Characteristc: If a librarian is ofering to help a asking a queston. student it is only natural to start by asking a queston or • Simplify the queston into a “yes or no” format. This two. Ofen this becomes a reference interview. Questons may reduce the richness of the interacton but may that are general or open ended may increase anxiety in an help decrease the processing load. individual with ASD who is focused on a very specifc topic • Reduce the use of fguratve language and the or request. Rather than helpful, the reference interview overall length of the questons if possible. may become anxiety inducing. People with ASD may repeat words from a queston, change the subject to something • Utlize a semi-structured script of queston and more comfortable or relevant to their interest, or ignore answer choices. a query they do not understand. Each of these responses can result in a communicaton breakdown between the Research shows.... librarian and student. “Using concrete language and unambiguous questons can help students who are less adept at One librarian spoke about the reference interview for abstract thinking “ (Gobbo and Shmulsky, 2012 p.20). students with ASD:

Use the following table to rewrite questons you “If you go up to someone and you start asking commonly ask patrons using the tps above. all kind of open-ended questons you could stress someone out. And so, yeah, being Instead of Asking... Try Asking... cognizant of (the) reacton to what you’re Do you need a book, doing. So if it seems like you’re stressing What type of informaton journal artcle, or other the patron out, then try and switch tactcs, do you need? type of resource? don’t just keep with open ended questons, maybe just try something and see how that Tell me more about your What have you found goes. And if that doesn’t work, try something topic? already? else!”

Support Strategies: Some strategies for initatng conversatons and helping individuals respond: • Start with a comment such as “Welcome. I see you are looking at the reference computer.” Pause to see the student comments. If not, follow up with a focused queston. “Do you have a queston?” • Ofer a choice rather than an open-ended queston (“May I help you fnd a journal artcle or a book?”). • Keep visual supports nearby during a reference interview (a small whiteboard or pencil and paper) for the visual learner.

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Refect in the spaces below how you might use the You see a student standing by a table full of books questons you wrote above to approach the situatons leaning down, with his hands in pockets, staring presented in the following scenarios. If you think of other blankly. You say: “What could I do to help you?” questons while reading the scenarios, add them to your The student responds by talking rapidly about the list above. topic of the books on the table. He has limited facial expression or gaze shifing to you. You notce he is You see a young man who is reluctant to speak to curling the page corners of a book. What do you say others and looks down or away when others pass. next? What else could you say or do? He is quiet and seems not engaged or productve. He is keeping his hands in his pockets, and though he is reminding himself to smile, it seems forced. What would you do?

Within these scenarios, several things could occur. You may get no response, or you could increase the student’s frustraton to the level of a meltdown. You may get no response because students think deeply about the queston and need tme to process what the right answer is. If you give them an open-ended queston, there is no right answer, or they might respond literally. If you ask, “What could I do to help you?” don’t be surprised if the answer is “Write my paper for me!” Beter optons are to use short, declaratve sentences and provide clear choices. It is good to have a backup plan such as ofering a quiet space to sit in and talk or suggest they write their requests or you write them as the students dictate to you.

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Echolalia people talk themselves through informaton processing. If Characteristc: Echolalia, or repeatng the words it seems that the student needs help fnding an item and and phrases of another person, is a common language is talking through that process, you might ofer assistance. characteristc that is shared by many people with autsm. For example, when students are repeatng a call number, It was initally believed to be a nonfunctonal, automatc this is a wonderful opportunity to help them fnd the item response or a behavior used to relieve anxiety or stress needed. (such as hand movements, like wringing or twistng fngers, or twirling papers or small objects does). In fact, it is more than a stress reducer. Echolalia serves a communicatve With a peer, take turns imagining a task you’d like to functon for people with autsm. Repeatng a word can serve accomplish in the library, choose a word or phrase as a “fller” to keep the speaker’s atenton while giving related to that task, then see if the other person the individual a moment to process and fnd the words can help decipher the task. Only the word or phrase they want. These fllers can keep a conversaton going chosen may be said, but props could be included. In when the listener is interested or realizes a response is an the space below, list other clues that one might use to expectaton, and it can also be a confrmaton of a request. infer the patron’s need. A general awareness and understanding of echolalia will be helpful when working with students with ASD.

Support Strategies: Students may echo words and phrases in response to a queston they do not understand because they know that you are expectng an answer. You might let students know that they do not need to give you an answer immediately. Allow them tme to process and tell them you will check back in later at a specifed tme.

Students with ASD might echo an answer to show afrmaton. For example, if asked, “Are you ready to check out your books?” an individual may respond, “Check out your books,” to show that he or she is, indeed, ready. If a student is showing afrmaton, you can simply accept this communicaton as a response and contnue your interacton. No interventon should be necessary.

Echolalia can also be used as a processing strategy to help increase one’s own understanding. Hearing your own voice say a phrase out loud may help your comprehension. Echolalia can also be thought of as a form of verbal rehearsal, as we all do upon entering a store without a list. In the library, you might hear a student repeat a call htps://bit.ly/2uK4EuE number or list the books he or she wants to check out. Many

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Predictable Outcomes Requestng items from their home via the online Characteristc: Individuals with ASD tend to thrive catalog is another opton that will allow students with ASD in predictable situatons in which they know what the prepare in advance. Many academic libraries have this outcome will be. While not every possible stressor can be system already in place and will send an email when the identfed, here are some library-specifc examples of issues item is ready to be picked up. that might arise for this unique populaton of individuals who enjoy a predictable outcome.

A hallmark feature of autsm is an intense interest in a highly specifc topic or topics, which makes the library an ideal place for unearthing informaton and enriching literacy development. Individuals may experience stress when they want a book or piece of media that is currently unavailable, or a student may come to the library expectng to sit in his or her favorite chair, only to fnd that the chair is occupied.

htps://bit.ly/2q3tdgs Support Strategies: Communicaton is critcal to ensure that students with ASD are well prepared for any Students with ASD who have a favorite place to sit unexpected situatons they might face in the library. To that is already occupied, or one with a favorite computer communicate what to do when an item is not available, currently being used by someone else, could beneft from you might have a list of procedures that can be followed a plan of acton that entails a visual to decrease the stress to obtain the item through interlibrary loan, along with of an unantcipated outcome. For example, the student a very concrete tme frame for obtaining the item. could have a printed foor plan of various places to sit or other computer work statons. You library might already have an app with this informaton on it that a student Are you responsible for library instructon session? It could use. Think about how you might provide access to is important to ensure predictability there as well. As one these services, and how you might let students know of its ASD program manager describes, existence.

If your library has any of these services already “One of the things that we’ll suggest available, how are students being informed of these is that if there’s any major changes, optons? In what ways could more atenton be changes in locaton or anything to brought to services like the ones described above? that efect, then you just notfy them ahead of tme so the student is aware of any major changes that are going to happen and they can process that informaton accordingly.”

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Communicaton with Student Workers Characteristc: Libraries employ student workers as inital points of contact, but students with ASD may not be comfortable approaching their peers for help. “(In college) I considered many of the librarians to be my mentors. Being socially Students are ofen valued library employees, helping awkward with unique interests, I didn’t their peers navigate library services and serving as the partcipate much in the collegiate social frst access point for assistance. Studies support this scene, so the library was where I did a lot of approach and show that college students ofen prefer to my socializing” (Eng, 2017 para. 7). seek informaton from peers rather than approaching a teacher or authority fgure (Manuel, 2002). “Anecdotally, we have observed that when both a student worker and a Support Strategy: Student workers might not librarian are at the desk, student patrons will almost always understand the nuances in communicatng with a peer who approach the student worker frst,” (Gardner & Eng, 2005). is on the autsm spectrum, resultng in an uncomfortable situaton and missed opportunites for proper assistance.

A tered approach to reference is common in academic libraries and is likely already incorporated into your process working with student employees. “Since students feel more comfortable approaching a peer, it makes sense to try a tered approach to reference services. Well-trained student workers can answer basic reference questons to make patrons feel more comfortable about initally approaching the reference desk; and if the queston is too advanced for the student worker to handle, it can then be referred to a librarian” (Garner & Eng, 2005). In training student workers to understand this tered approach, make sure they frst know the basics of how to identfy and communicate with an individual with ASD – Students on the autsm spectrum might feel providing them with this manual would be a frst step! Next, uncomfortable approaching a peer, and could prefer make sure that employees know to approach a librarian to communicatng with a professional librarian instead. contnue the conversaton, if it seems that would beneft One study found “that some students with ASDs seem to the student with ASD. Librarians can serve as important respond beter to instructors than peers. Students may allies and mentors for students on the spectrum, and prefer working ideas through with instructors to working student workers should never feel that they are giving up on them with peers as the social roles and boundaries are by allowing a librarian to contnue the interacton; instead, more clearly defned and comfortable” (Gobbo & Shmulsky, it is an opportunity for support. 2014).

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Addressing Challenging Situatons What do you currently provide in your library Characteristc: The library should be welcoming for all for students who use alternatve forms of users, and all eforts to avoid negatve situatons should be communicaton? What can you start doing now to made. In Chapter 2, we discuss various ways to physically supplement your current oferings? structure the library environment to facilitate the most positve experience possible for students with autsm. Despite your best eforts, it is stll possible that students with ASD will have a stressful and anxious moment, resultng in the occurrence of a challenging situaton for both student and staf.

Using a quiet, calm voice when communicatng with students with ASD who appear anxious or are displaying challenging behavior is important for supportng the individual to partcipate and self-regulate. As with many individuals in uncomfortable or frightening situatons, quick movements, loud voices, or physical contact may increase anxiety and challenging behaviors rather than be helpful. Ofering the opton of a quiet place to move to can Support Strategies: Ofering students alternate ways also be helpful. to communicate can allow for rich interactons; read the following descripton from a successful college graduate on the autsm spectrum: “I was unable to express most of my thoughts verbally; so many professionals such as teachers and doctors were unable to see how intelligent I was. Then at 18 years old, I had a communicaton breakthrough when I began to use an iPad. I was fnally able to express my personal thoughts and share what I know, graduatng from high school at age 21. Afer years of being told I would never go to college, I just fnished up my freshman year” (Zimmerman, 2017). htps://bit.ly/2fmEAdv

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Understand that it can be hard for students with ASD to • Don’t get frustrated if they respond in a seemingly process high levels of informaton as it is difcult for them inappropriate way. They may not use some of the to flter out which informaton is not essental. This can expected polite social conversaton forms and ofen lead to extreme anxiety, so be thoughtul about reducing will not realize that they are appearing rude or informaton shared during these anxious periods. hurtul. • Reduce pressure to communicate. It is natural to want to explain a situaton, comfort a • Try to choose a quiet place to have your person, or distract them from their distress. However, conversaton. They may have trouble processing ofering more verbal or emotonal informaton to process what you are saying and will be put of by too much to a person who is already overwhelmed is not helpful. background noise.

If communicaton is not progressing, be prepared to • If you sense they’re beginning to feel uncomfortable alter expectatons in the moment and ofer alternatves. or anxious ask if they would like to sit in a quiet It could be that something about the current situaton place for a while. Aferwards, you can resume your just does not feel right to the student. You might also conversaton. This ofen helps to relieve the anxiety. improve communicaton by trying to rephrase your • Be aware of your physical presence. words, experimentng with diferent ways of expressing • Be aware you may be standing too close and they the same informaton untl you are sure that the student may not like shaking hands or being pated on the understands what you are saying. Finally, take the tme to back. You can ask them if it is fne to shake hands. listen. The rewards of more efectve communicaton will • For some people with ASD, using pictures or be enormous for both you and the student with autsm. diagrams to help get your point across can be helpful.

Spend some tme with a peer asking one another questons you ofen ask during a normal day. Try allowing extra tme for the other person to answer by countng to fve in your head before contnuing. Also, see how many of the above points you can utlize. Which ones were harder to include? Which ones were surprising to you? htps://bit.ly/2Jk2LrY

Take a moment to view the video “10 Ways to Make Communicaton Easier.” In summary, the narrator suggests the following: • Calmly queston. Use clear, short sentences when giving informaton or instructons to someone with autsm. • Give them tme to answer you. They may take some tme to process what you are saying and then create a response.

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Communicaton Breakdowns Awareness and Understanding

Even with knowledge and understanding of communicatve paterns in students with ASD, there is always the possibility for breakdowns in communicaton – with both library staf and with other students. If you are observant, and you can help in the library, you may notce a student becoming an easy target for bullying or perhaps actng like a bully himself by appearing overly atentve. A student with ASD may be teased, even quietly. Perhaps you see other students moving chairs or books or playing other simple pranks. Other students might notce he is irritated by noises and add a few extra just for “fun.” Though individuals with ASD may want to ft in with their peer group, they might be focused on themselves and their own agenda. It is easy for students with ASD to overreact or be over zealous, so they might respond to atenton from peers with too much atenton, misreading the cues from their peers.

The library is a place where students with ASD should be able to go and be welcomed. Though communicaton can be difcult for students with ASD, there are clear strategies to beter support successful interactons in the library. Challenges ofen arise from a lack of understanding or miscommunicaton. By educatng yourself and your htps://bit.ly/2GxgYnu fellow library staf members on how to best support interacton with those persons with ASD, your library will Try the following with a peer: Pretend to address a serve as a welcoming and understanding environment in bullying situaton. What do you say to the students which challenging situatons are much less likely to occur. both doing the bullying, and the student on the receiving end of the bullying? Creatng an efectve communicaton environment is about attude and understanding – you do not need to be an expert, but, instead, be observant and responsive. Recognize the signs and signals and appreciate the communicatve diferences that these students exhibit.

73 Based on the support strategies you have learned so far, use the atached rubric to assess Communicaton Adaptatons communicaton adaptatons you might make in your library for students with ASD.

Communication Adaptations to Consider for Students with ASD

Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor

Eye-contact

Facial Expression

Body language

Availability

Needs Assessment

Quality of information

Adapted from: Intensive Customer Service Training – This material was created by San José Public Library and the Infopeople project. Development of the training was supported in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

Eye-contact

Facial Expression

Body language

Availability

Needs Assessment

Quality of information

Adapted from: Intensive Customer Service Training – This material was created by San José Public Library and the Infopeople project. Development of the training was supported in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. Communicaton

References

Cai, R. Y., & Richdale, A. L. (2016). Educatonal experiences and needs of higher educaton students with autsm spectrum disorder. Journal of Autsm and Developmental Disorders, 46(1), 31-41. Donovan, C. (2017). Navigatng life on campus when you’re on the autsm spectrum. All Things Considered. Retrieved from htps://www.npr.org/2017/11/28/566788182/navigatng-life-on-campus-when-youre- on-the-autsm-spectrum Eartharcher, L., (2017). Dear neurotypical friends… The Silent Wave. Retrieved from htps://thesilentwaveblog. wordpress.com/2017/10/04/dear-neurotypical-friends/ Elias, R., & White, S. W. (2017). Autsm goes to college: Understanding the needs of a student populaton on the rise. Journal of autsm and developmental disorders, 1-15. Gobbo, K., & Shmulsky, S. (2012). Classroom needs of community college students with Asperger’s disorder and autsm spectrum disorders. Community College Journal of Research and Practce, 36(1), 40-46. Gobbo, K., & Shmulsky, S. (2014). Faculty experience with college students with autsm spectrum disorders: A qualitatve study of challenges and solutons. Focus on Autsm and Other Developmental Disabilites, 29(1), 13-22. Grandin, T. (2006). Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Editon: My Life with Autsm. Random House, Inc., New York: NY. Manuel, K. (2002). Teaching informaton literacy to generaton. Journal of library administraton, 36(1-2), 195- 217. Nozovhenina, S. (2015). Body language and listening. Museum Access Consortum. Retrieved from htp:// museumaccessconsortum.org/resource/adults-spectrum-share-museum-experiences/ Van Hees, V., Moyson, T., & Roeyers, H. (2015). Higher educaton experiences of students with autsm spectrum disorder: Challenges, benefts and support needs. Journal of autsm and developmental disorders, 45(6), 1673-1688. Zimmerman (2017). They told me I’d never go to college but I just fnished my freshman year. What about all the other students with autsm? Hechinger Report. Retrieved from htp://hechingerreport.org/student-

voice-told-id-never-go-college-just-fnished-freshman-year-students-autsm/

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4 Social Interacton

A successful college experience is so much more than a This video allows you to experience a party from the transiton to another academic setng to obtain a degree. point of view of a young woman with ASD: College marks the transiton to adult experiences and responsibilites, independence in daily life, and it presents young adults with opportunites to engage in new and excitng extracurricular actvites, join groups and clubs to socialize, network with peers, make new friends outside their local community, stretch understanding of other cultural norms through new acquaintances, and expand interpersonal relatonships. Social connectons can enhance the student’s growth toward adulthood, independence and confdence as well as academic achievements.

htp://bit.ly/2ySt5TM

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ASD and Social Interacton

ASD is characterized by defcits in social interacton, and this is refected in studies about their social partcipaton. In the Natonal Autsm Indicators Report: Transiton into Young Adulthood, young adults with ASD are shown as having the highest rate of social isolaton compared to their peers with other disabilites (Roux et al., 2015).

One in four young adults on the autsm spectrum are considered socially isolated. In the past year, they were not invited to social events with their peers, and they do not report seeing or talking to friends (Roux et al., 2015).

One in three young adults with ASD did not partcipate within their community in the last year. This includes no volunteer work, community service, actvites, or lessons taken outside of school (Roux et al., 2015).

Youth with ASD partcipate in community social actvites with their peers at a signifcantly lower rate than youth with other disabilites. Only one third of youth on the autsm spectrum report partcipatng in the community (Roux et al., 2015).

78 Social Interacton Life Course Outcomes Research Program

Key Findings from the Social and Community National Autism Indicators Report: Participation among Transition into Young Adulthood Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum This fact sheet summarizes key fndings from When we interact with others in our daily lives at work or at school, we the National Autism Indicators Report which may fnd peers who share our interests. We might be invited to social can be found here: drex.lu/autismindicators. The activities in the community with colleagues who then become our Autism Indicators report tracks statistics about friends. We also might get a chance to give back to our community. issues facing individuals on the autism spectrum. These statistics set the stage to discover whether When young adults on the autism spectrum are disconnected quality of life for those with autism and their from work and continued schooling, sometimes opportunities for families is improving over time. socialization, friendships and community participation may be absent as well. Young adults who have less social and community participation The Life Course Outcomes Research Program is likely have fewer opportunities to fnd out about jobs, schools, or training programs to further their learning. building a base of knowledge about the things other than clinical interventions that promote In this report, we examine social and community participation as well as positive outcomes for people on the autism social isolation. We used data from the National Longitudinal Transition spectrum and their families and communities. Study-2 (NLTS2) collected in 2009 when young adults were 21 to 25 years old.

Higher rates of social isolation for those with autism Far more young adults on the autism spectrum experienced social isolation within the past year compared to their peers with other types of disabilities. While nearly one-quarter of those on the autism spectrum experienced social isolation, very few of their peers with learning disability, emotional disturbance or speech-language impairment were socially isolated.

Young adults with autism had higher rates of social isolation within the past year than Some never saw or talked with friends, and their peers with other types of disabilities. were never invited to social activities, within the past year. Autism 24%

87% Intellectual disability 8%

24% of young adults Speech/Language 3% with autism were impairment socially isolated. Emotional disturbance 2%

Learning disability 2%

Percent socially isolated in past year Source: National Longitudinal Transition Study-2

“Social and Community Partcipaton among Young Adults on the Autsm Spectrum,” by A. Roux, J. Rast, K. Anderson, J. Rava, & P. Shatuck, 2015, Life Course Outcomes Research Program. Copyright 2015 by Drexel University. Reprinted with permission. 79 Half of young adults had driving privilegesSocial Interacton and one-third were registered to vote. While ability to drive is not necessary for social interaction and community participation, it does enhance independence and access to activities and eliminates a barrier to employment. Civic participation is another key form of adult independence and community participation. Nearly 30% of young adults on the autism spectrum had a driver’s license or their learner’s permit and 51% were registered to vote.

Approximately one in four young adults on the autism spectrum was socially isolated; one in three had no community participation.

Some young adults participated in social and community activities Over half of young adults with autism had within the past year. any social interaction during the past year. Fewer had any community participation. We examined whether young adults participated in key Invited to social activities social and community activities within the past year. 52% Approximately 76% of young adults participated in at least with friends 79% one type of social activity during the previous year, and 68% Saw friends sometimes 61% participated in at least one type of community activity. or often Talked with friends on 74% We looked at how young adults fared across social and phone sometimes or often 52% community participation indicators. We considered young Peformed volunteer or adults to be socially isolated if they never were invited 48% 35% community service to social activities, and never saw friends, and never Took lessons or classes talked with friends on the phone in the last 12 months. 31% We considered young adults to have no community outside of school 50% participation if they never volunteered or performed Participated in any community 46% community service, never took lessons or classes outside of activities outside of school school, and never attended community activities outside of Percent participated in activities in past year school in the last 12 months. Source: National Longitudinal Transition Study-2

Social and Community Participation Factors We explored factors that may be related to social and community participation:

Household Income Race and Ethnicity Conversation Ability Living Arrangement Nearly 33% of those from Hispanic young adults had Nearly 44% of those with the Young adults who ever lived lower income households the highest rate of social lowest level of conversation with their parents (22%) were (<$25K) were socially isolation within the past year skills were socially isolated in less socially isolated in the isolated within the past year compared to white (23%) and the past year, compared to past year than those who compared to 15% of those black young adults (18%). 7% of those with the highest ever lived in a supervised from the highest income conversation skills. setting (43%). households (>$75K).

How to cite the source of this information: Roux, Anne M., Shattuck, Paul T., Rast, Jessica E., Rava, Julianna A., and Anderson, Kristy, A. National Autism Indicators Report: Transition into Young Adulthood. Philadelphia, PA: Life Course Outcomes Research Program, A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 2015.

For more information, visit drexel.edu/AutismOutcomes www.facebook.com/autismlco @autismlco

“Social and Community Partcipaton among Young Adults on the Autsm Spectrum,” by A. Roux, J. Rast, K. Anderson, J. Rava, & P. Shatuck, 2015, Life Course Outcomes Research Program. Copyright 2015 by Drexel University. Reprinted with permission. 80 Social Interacton

Social Interacton in College

College students with ASD face challenges in executve group or club with a familiar teacher or advisor. They have functoning which impacts not just academics and daily lived at home with a family and had structured routnes, living but also interactons with others. Students can meals, laundry and transportaton provided Challenges for also struggle with social emotonal self-regulaton such these students fall under concerns with daily independent as perspectve-taking, social percepton, motvaton, living and student life issues in general, in contrast with and initaton which can impact the non-academic, or academic concerns. co-curricular aspects of college life. Thus, the difculty students with ASD experience in college can be the result Students who feel socially supported and integrated of an inability to self-regulate in the social domain ted to into campus life are beter adjusted and more commited executve functoning. to the postsecondary environment. Though many students with ASD choose to live at home with their family while Being successful in college can be difcult, not just for atending college, social opportunites are always present the students with ASD but for most students. However, from interactng in and between classes, in the dining hall, the impact is more pronounced for young adults on the and during extracurricular actvites. spectrum. Students with ASD typically enter college with academic strengths; they are smart, capable, have good "At one university with a targeted program for memory, precision-based focus, and dedicated interests. students with ASD, an administrator said: “I think They may have been very successful in an area such as the (successful) retenton’s due in large part to our physics or math and partcipated in a small, structured team of mentors that we have, our grad assistants… (who) provide a daily support to students to ensure that their executve functoning needs are taken care of, in additon to their desires for a social life and how social skills impact their daily functoning and how they impact their reputaton on a college campus.”

Students with ASD have more than just their academic success to consider; they also must be successful in general student life and with daily independent living. Though these are aspects of all college students’ lives, they are partcularly pronounced for students on the spectrum (Van Hees, Moyson, & Roeyer, 2015).

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(Van Hees, Moyson, & Roeyer, 2015 p. 1677)

While socializaton is critcal to their success, it can be precarious. Socializaton may be the thing students with ASD most want to avoid yet need the most support and skill building to increase partcipaton. Required partcipaton such as assigned roommates and group projects in courses may cause stress and other mental health issues such as anxiety.

Academic environments actvely promote student engagement, membership, and “giving back” citzenship experiences. Students are encouraged to “make the most of their college or university experience.” However, few supports are provided for those that fnd partcipaton to be challenging. Support strategies need to be approaches that ft for students, and ofen that includes the availability of a safe environment. Libraries, traditonally safe community spaces, are places where students with ASD ofen choose to go to get away from noisy dormitories and roommates.

Research shows.... "In a study of communicaton on the online forum wrongplanet.net, one study found that college students with ASD frequently describe the library as an escape: “One member provides this advice to a college student with ASD: “Look around the campus and fnd a comfortable place to escape from stress and wild kids. When I went I stayed in the library most of the tme.” Another Wrong Planet member ofers similar advice to a college student with ASD who is worried about living with roommates: “You need to secure some solitary hangout spots in and around campus. A hidden nook of the library, a café of-campus that’s open late, etc. Make it so you don’t need to come back untl your roomie(s) are asleep” (Anderson, 2016, p. 56).

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Challenging Social Situatons

Think about the efect of the aforementoned social characteristcs in navigatng the following situatons:

Atending unstructured Negotatng with professors social events

Joining extracurricular clubs Living with roommates or organizatons

The previous chapter explored strategies for addressing communicaton challenges. Think back “I’m a lonely person socially. I do not meet about how miscommunicaton could further hinder many people. I’m lonely. Stll, in my contact social situatons for students with ASD. with people I’m quite open. I must admit that I would like to have more social contacts, but I am very uncertain. I’m not really enterprising, rather hesitant. I do not take the initatve. But if there is an ofer, I accept it and want to go out” (Van Hees et al., 2015, p. 1680).

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Belonging and Acceptance

Just like any other college student, students with ASD Socializing can mean sacrifcing personal interests or want to ft in with their peers and be accepted within “camoufaging” one’s quirks, at least in the short term, to social groups (Hull, Petrides, Allison, Smith, Baron-Cohen, build connectons and ft in (Donevan, 2107; Hull et al., Lai, & Mandy, 2017; Van Hees et al., 2015). Many college 2017). As one student with ASD describes, “I decided that students on the spectrum develop a set of scripts based it was more important to me to spend tme with people on observatons that allow for positve interactons. These than to get to do what I wanted…So, even though I didn’t mental scripts, though ofen not formalized, are based on always have the same idea of fun as everyone else, I spent what a student with ASD sees as a normal social interacton tme going and walking around stores with people, even (Van Hees et al., 2015). though I think that’s really boring, because it was a chance to spend tme with other people” (Donevan, 2017).

"At one college with a targeted autsm program for students, an administrator describes the role of peer mentoring: “Our peer mentors, “I taught myself the art of small talk: you see their primary job is to help the student get other people, you read books, you watch acclimated to campus. Afer that point, the movies. You just look at what people do in goal is to help the student fnd their peer group a situaton, and you adopt it, you act in the on campus, so other students who share their same way” (Van Hees et al., 2015 p. 1669). interests. Peer mentors work with students on social skills and then also provide that moral support for atending actvites on campus.”

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Social Interacton in Library Setngs

College students with ASD ofen have an awareness • Use signage that invites partcipaton and of their social problems, which creates stress and anxiety. communicaton. This awareness leads to concerns that, when atemptng • Learn the student’s name and their interests if they to engage in social interactons, they might say the wrong use the library frequently. thing or alienate themselves from their peers. • Listen. Be open to the ideas of the individuals using the library. Anxiety can become so overwhelming that students with ASD can quickly become worn out. Social interactons are exhaustng.

Librarians have a special role to play in their academic “I have been through very difcult periods communites, with the library ofen located at the center in my student days. When I was living in of campus. They are a social hub, a learning community, student accommodaton for example, it and an important third space for students. The library can actually took me a half semester fguring out further support students with ASD by creatng a social how to behave towards other students. I was environment comparable to the physical environment that suddenly incapable of doing many things reduces the anxiety and stress related to social interacton. that I was able to do before I started living in a student fat. I did not know how to live Librarians can help to facilitate social interacton anymore” (Van Hees et al., 2015 p. 1681). and communicaton with individuals with ASD and their peers. Many individuals with ASD beneft from instructon and practce to help initate conversatons or respond to questons from peers. The library may be a campus locaton for groups or tutors to meet. Librarians can support peer interactons and demonstrate communicaton strategies that will promote comfort and inclusion in actvites and programs.

The following strategies can facilitate positve social interactons: • Extend a feeling of welcome by smiling. Look up from your work when you see patrons approaching and ask if you can help. • Provide sufcient tme for a response. Impatence increases anxiety. htps://bit.ly/2HPgWYc

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Structured Social Events

Librarians can help to support social interactons with structured programs and situatons by modifying programs and services.

Individuals with ASD ofen have difculty applying knowledge and informaton gained in one situaton to another person or setng. Envision yourself at your favorite restaurant, ordering a meal. Now picture yourself in a foreign country, ordering dinner without being sure of regional customs, language, or foods. Is it culturally appropriate to ask questons, point, or interrupt? It is not hard to imagine how difcult this can be.

Keeping these potental generalizaton difcultes in mind can help you structure classes and other types of assistance you provide for your students who have ASD.

Students with ASD typically do not have an extensive social network, and instead rely on meetngs and academics for social contacts.

How can the library provide opportunites for support? Refect on ways to provide opportunites for student groups to meet more ofen, or support for those who want to meet regularly. Make sure group rooms are available with clear directons of how to reserve them. Set up library programs based on special topics regularly. Use this space to contnue brainstorming engagement opportunites

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Building Social Opportunites and Learning Supports

Use this template as you read through the next secton to think through what the role of your library might be within the larger campus organizaton.

General Services

Supported Study Groups

Individual Supports

Sponsored or Collaboratve Actvites

Building Social Opportunites and Learning Supports Groups & Organizatons

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General Services First, think about your virtual services. The physical How can you build opportunites for social supports building is identfed as a challenge by many students with within general library services? Libraries ofer a broad ASD because of the physical and environmental challenges array of general services for all of their students, and many such as lights, noise, and crowding, but the virtual library of these services are already conducive for supportng is welcomed. Academic libraries ofen have robust online the social needs of students with ASD. With a litle bit of services, including chat reference. All libraries are diferent thought and perhaps some tailoring, these services could and hours vary, but many keep these virtual reference be made even more welcoming and supportve. services accessible and stafed even during tmes when the physical building might be closed.

Students can feel lonely and isolated without a strong Futher Reading social support system, and may seek alternate ways to engage. Some students might turn to the internet The University of Toledo hosts a month-long series for a social network. College students with ASD seek of programs to promote autsm awareness, including connectons online, and not only do they fnd those social opportunites for adults with ASD to engage through media or online chat conversatons to be easier, but they art displays and more. Learn more on their website: also view them as worthwhile (Anderson, 2016; Van Hees Life on the Autsm Spectrum et al., 2015).

Does your library have a social media presence? Think of ways you can facilitate groups online, perhaps placing an inital call for partcipaton on your Facebook page.

Students who typically contact the student disabilites center for assistance might also turn to the library’s online chat services afer hours, when other campus services are closed. Librarians should be prepared to provide assistance in lieu of this, and providing this assistance in a friendly, sociable tone will allow students with ASD to practce social skills and engage in social interactons in a structured, comfortable setng.

88 Social Interacton

What technology services does your library currently Study groups are tmes for students to gather together provide? Do you have a maker space or collaboratve hub? with their peers and study, proofread and edit, meet people, These general services could be a natural gathering place and be mentored as well as serve as mentors themselves. for students on the spectrum with specifc interests in Study groups also ofen have built in, structured periods technology. for relaxing or taking a break between study periods. Furthermore, these groups are for all students, not just for The library could also play a role in gathering informaton those with ASD. They can be a great place to meet others, about and providing access to general services campus and ofen allow students to meet others with similar wide. Librarians already curate and distribute libguides for interests (such as a shared major) and needs (such as a popular academic topics. Why not create a guide about shared schedule based on classes or employment). campus services for neurodiverse students? This outward facing document could be a help for students in seeking Using the template, write down a few ideas about who ways to connect, but also for library staf in answering you are either already collaboratng with to provide study reference questons about engagement opportunites groups, or who you could reach out to partner with for across campus. more targeted study group support.

“Get acquainted with the other students in "One librarian said, “I think if we had your classes. Form a study group with your a toolkit set up… I’ve only been here 3 student classmates and meet somewhere years and there’s so much going on at (the school library, a classroom not being this university. So if we could just create used by another class, a study lounge on a toolkit just for librarians, and they campus or some other place) to help each could share them just as they needed other learn the course material and do well to, that would be immensely helpful for on exams...it has been proven that study everyone.” groups help to increase your grades, too. Use this template to brainstorm ways that you can In this instance, the student with ASD is make some of your services beter, to support the social advised to create a study group, possibly interacton needs of students with ASD. meetng in the library to accomplish two goals: creatng opportunites for social interacton, and improved grades” Supported Study Groups and Programs (Anderson, 2016 pp. 64-65). The library is a place for supported study groups, ofen with staf support from both within and outside of the library. Depending on how your library is organized How can you use this knowledge to create more and stafed, librarians might be running study groups for structured opportunites for social engagement? students, or hostng representatves from other campus organizatons to lead these groups within the library. Knowing that many students with ASD seek accessible social opportunites, and many students must atend study groups for academic success, this seems a clear opportunity in which librarians can build social supports. 89 Social Interacton

Individual Supports Do you provide tutoring in content areas? What What one-to-one services does your library provide? about coaching on study skills, tme management, or Some libraries ofer the opportunity to “check out” organizaton? Do you provide instructon on technology a librarian for personalized services, or to book a resources for academic management (for example, reference consultaton with a librarian in advance. With citaton management like Zotero or EndNote)? Every library these services, think about how you can tailor services is diferent, but you can build in opportunites for social partcularly for engaging in social interacton with students engagement and support. Use this tme to think about on the autsm spectrum. Students with ASD might prefer to what you already have, and what you want to do. Who speak with a librarian in lieu of a peer, and this could be a can you partner with both within the library and across good opportunity to allow for a meaningful interacton for campus? Refer back to the template to include your notes. the student.

One librarian said: “One thing with our individualized supports that I think we do really well is actually our reference consultatons. Because… what it is, is sitng down one-on-one with the student and giving them an opportunity to talk about their situaton, expertse, and just giving them your expertse or specialized advice. And it’s one of the most personal contacts that we have with students one-on-one. I think at the library it’s a really important service. Because a lot of tmes you’re telling them about some database or a libguide or Think about services you already ofer, service and you’re giving them sort of more and ways you can build additonal general advice about navigatng diferent support for students with ASD. One aspects of the university, and a lot of tmes librarian said: “Perhaps … we could see this is when you get to tell students about how we might enhance our practce to maybe the writng center or SDRC or diferent address the needs of those with ASD resources… so in a way our consultatons before adding more actvites, since we that we do are very much individualized do a lot already. Perhaps (we) pick the supports.” fve more promising of those actvites that may beneft those with ASD and work strategically to implement practce (pre and post test practce before and afer changes made).”

90 Social Interacton

Sponsored or Collaboratve Actvites that their peers have ASD they are more acceptng of The library is one of many important services on their idiosyncrasies (Butler & Gillis, 2011; Mathews, Ly, & campus and can be integral to the success of students with Goldberg, 2014). Can you partner with a professor who is ASD. Students, both with and without ASD, view the library knowledgeable about ASD to provide actvites for students as a welcoming place already and librarians can use this who are not on the spectrum about autsm? to their advantage by planning actvites for an already receptve audience. Emily Lawrence, a librarian with ASD, says “educatng neurotypical individuals Try to schedule actvites that will be of interest to your about Autstc people is an efectve students that can also be easy to implement. Do you host means to improving well-being for game nights, book clubs, or hackathons? Social interacton Autstcs” (Lawrence, 2013, p. 105). can be easier for students with ASD when bounded within structure, such as during turn-taking games or when working together to achieve a shared goal.

What actvites do you already host that might be appealing for students with ASD? How can you provide additonal structure within these actvites to beter support atendees with ASD?

Can you market these programs to your faculty to either help facilitate or simply promote? Many tmes, Groups and Organizatons students learn of library services through their instructors. Libraries have a unique role on campus. They are open Use the template to write down ideas of collaboratve to all students – ofen 24/7. Use this as an opportunity actvites your library can host. to invite relevant student clubs and organizatons in to use your space for meetngs, thus establishing a connecton and Libraries also have to opportunity to provide potental for partnership. If students with ASD are coming educatonal programming and promote awareness in the into the library as part of a structured group, they will likely general student populaton as well. The more educated feel more comfortable within the environment and be a campus community is about ASD, the more likely they beter prepared to return on their own for a separate visit. will be able to help students on the spectrum succeed Think, too, about campus organizatons that close at an (Tipton & Blacher, 2014). When college students are aware earlier tme than the library does. Can you provide space

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for groups within these organizatons that want to meet diferent campuses, Autsm Speaks U. Check their website later in the evening? Be the place to host other groups and to see if there is a group at your school. The Center for organizatons across campus. Autsm and Related Disabilites (CARD) has a natonal presence, serves individuals of all ages, and might have Research shows.... a branch in your area. Many are afliated with college “Because we are open 24 hours, 5 days a week, when campuses. Check to see if there is a CARD Center in your a lot of the rest of campus is shut down, we’re getng area, and reach out to ofer meetng space for the college asked a lot of questons, general questons… SDRC is students they work with. closed at 6 or 7 pm; all those students, the space that they can go and use those technologies and tools are Cathy Zenko, Director, Center for Autsm and Related closed down. So I think in a way we are [available] Disabilites at FSU says: when other places close, but for late night help, for students who want to come to the library when campus is quieter.” “We serve individuals from as early as they get diagnosed to when they are no longer on the earth. So there is no age limit, we’re not just early age, we don’t tap out at 18 or 22. So we do serve the adult and young adult populaton that are atending college… We do individual assistance. We do technical assistance, which is providing guidance on best practces: what can we do with what you already have? How can we help build this to be a litle bit more accessible for students on the autsm spectrum? We also do training, which is another thing that I can see where we would ft into this (library) piece. We could do training for any library staf, or students, or peer mentors, or whoever it is that you would need us to provide training. And then the last piece of our mission is in providing public awareness. So public awareness is about autsm spectrum disorder and related disabilites and what is CARD. What is the Center for Autsm and Related Disabilites and how can we help. As long as you have some individuals who hit under our umbrella that we are created to serve, we can build whatever you need based on the autsm consultants and areas Try doing a search to see what student organizatons of expertse that we have, and come to you and you can reach out to and see if they want to hold their next create whatever you need.” meetng at the library. Autsm Speaks has clubs at many

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Unstructured Social Interacton with Peers

Beyond structured opportunites for social supports, the library ofers a welcoming space for students to explore interests and develop connectons on their own. Be aware that sometmes just providing a comfortable environment with nearly immeasurable resources is enough to support socializaton for some students with ASD.

One study describes a young adult with ASD’s informaton-seeking behavior in regard to a specifc focused interest – hockey. In seeking informaton about hockey at the library, this young man became a self-described expert on the subject and used his new knowledge to engage others in conversaton about the topic (O’Leary, 2011). The knowledge gained from library resources allowed for social connectons outside of the library.

Refer back to Chapter 2, The Library Environment, to ensure you are creatng a welcoming space for students to explore their interests at their own pace, recognizing that this could open the door to rich social experiences.

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Social Interacton and Library Instructon

Social interacton also occurs during library instructon 1. It is not always easy to enter into a conversaton sessions, which many academic librarians conduct regularly. or join a social situaton with unfamiliar people, Whether teaching a “one shot” session or working with a and this may be an even more difcult task for a group of students over the course of a semester, librarians student with ASD. If you are asking students to work will fnd themselves in a place to both interact with and in pairs, implement a structured process for this encourage peer interacton among their students. to happen. Have students count of in alphabetcal order or ask them to draw numbers.

“When I started and taught classes last year I 2. Ensure that students are prepared for all transitons realized I may have to alter my lesson plans to be and changes in routnes. This includes additonal able to reach [students with ASD] beter…I have library staf joining the session, rescheduling class been working with our instructonal services tmes or meetng rooms, or having a break. Supply librarian and we’ve been trying to incorporate a writen calendar and syllabus to help students things like interactve learning and Universal prepare. Design Learning and hands on exercises into 3. Break down large assignments into smaller, more the lesson plans, so that’s what we do basically manageable chunks with individual due dates. in class. I really encourage them to come in for 4. If a student seems to face challenges understanding individual research help and at these individual a lesson, try presentng the task in several ways sessions we go more in depth.” (such as both visually and verbally) 5. Use an app or other tming technology to give a Perhaps the most helpful thing an educator can do fve-minute warning before the end of the class, so for students with ASD is to create an atmosphere in which students have tme to wrap up. comfortable social interactons can occur. Consider the 6. Provide and abide by clear and consistent rules. following tps for creatng a more inclusive classroom 7. If asking students to work in groups, keep the same environment: members in each group throughout the entrety of the lesson – whether just one class period, or throughout the course of a semester. Ensure that each group member has a specifc role for contributon. 8. Allow for students to work individually if group work or partner work leads to anxious behavior. Creatng uncomfortable situatons in the library will not promote positve social engagement.

(Moreno & O’Neal, 2000; Natonal Educaton Associaton, 2017; Shmulsky & Gobbo, 2013).

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Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Instructon (UDI) developed from the principles of Universal Design (refer back to Chapter 2), focuses on maximizing learning opportunites for all students. (Burgstahler, 2017).

View an informatve video from the University of Washington’s DO-It site for more informaton about incorporatng the principles of UDI into your teaching to enhance the classroom experience for students with ASD and improve opportunites for comfortable social engagement. htps://bit.ly/2IjtQKg

While the library can be a comfortable place for students to socialize, be careful not to force interacton when it could cause anxiety. Just like anyone else, college students with ASD also value tme alone, either to accomplish tasks or just to recharge their bateries, and might come to the library for that reason alone. Consider instead the idea of providing structures and supports within the library to help support socializing opportunites for students seeking a way to engage, while also being sensitve to those students who simply need a quiet place to recharge.

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References

Anderson, A. M. (2016). Wrong planet, right library: College students with autsm spectrum disorder and the academic library (Doctoral dissertaton, The Florida State University). Bregman, A., Fernando, S., & Hawking, L. (2017) The party: A virtual experience of autsm. The Guardian. Retrieved from htps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/07/the-party-a-virtual-experience- of-autsm-360-video Burgstahler, S. (2017). Universal design for learning. The Center for Universal Design in Educaton. Retrieved from htps://www.washington.edu/doit/equal-access-universal-design-instructon Donevan, C. (2017). Navigatng life on campus when you’re on the autsm spectrum. All Things Considered. Retrieved from htps://www.npr.org/2017/11/28/566788182/navigatng-life-on-campus-when-youre- on-the-autsm-spectrum Gobbo, K., & Shmulsky, S. (2012). Classroom needs of community college students with asperger’s disorder and autsm spectrum disorders. Community College Journal of Research and Practce, 36(1), 40-46. Hull, L., Petrides, K. V., Allison, C., Smith, P., Baron-Cohen, S., Lai, M. C., & Mandy, W. (2017). “Putng on my best normal”: social camoufaging in adults with autsm spectrum conditons. Journal of Autsm and Developmental Disorders, 47(8), 2519-2534. Natonal Educaton Associaton (2017). Teaching students with autsm: Guide for educators. Retrieved from htps://www.nea.org/assets/docs/Autsm_Guide_fnal.pdf O’Leary, K. (2011). Informaton seeking in the context of a hobby: A case study of a young adult with Asperger’s Syndrome. The Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults, 2(1). Roux, A. M., Shatuck, P. T., Rast, J. E., Rava, J. A., & Anderson, K. A. (2015). Natonal autsm indicators report: Transiton into young adulthood. Life Course Outcomes Research Program, AJ Drexel Autsm Insttute, Drexel University. Shmulsky, S., & Gobbo, K. (2013). Autsm spectrum in the college classroom: Strategies for instructors. Community College Journal of Research and Practce, 37(6), 490-495. Van Hees, V., Moyson, T., & Roeyers, H. (2015). Higher educaton experiences of students with autsm spectrum disorder: Challenges, benefts and support needs. Journal of Autsm and Developmental Disorders, 45(6), 1673-1688.

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5 Technology

Technology goals for college students with ASD are not diferent from any other college student. All students want to have college success, communicate efectvely, and live independently. In this chapter, you will learn more about how libraries can help set students up for success in academics, social life, and life skills through harnessing the power of technology. Finally, the chapter will discuss assistve technologies and web accessibility. The concepts and strategies dealing with technology will have the added beneft of being of value to all students.

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Library Technology for Academic Success

Informaton Management Tools Online Course Management Systems How can librarians use technology to ensure these Online and hybrid teaching methods provide an students are set up for success? One soluton is through alternatve learning environment that can be of partcular helping students understand basic principles of organizing beneft for students on the autsm spectrum. Social and informaton and informaton management as they embark communicatve concerns can make traditonal classrooms on their academic studies. Making a tutorial is an efcient a challenge for those who have trouble interpretng social and efectve way to reach out to students who need cues. The online classroom environment also allows for guidance in organizing academic informaton. uniformity across classes, something members of this populaton value. Think about how each instructor teaches Librarians at Florida State University developed a web the same material a litle bit diferently. By providing tutorial about informaton management and productvity consistently packaged and delivered informaton online, tools, which can be viewed here: students with ASD have fewer dynamics to maneuver, thus are able to commit more fully to learning the content instead (Daley, 2016).

htps://bit.ly/2GQXlX7

What online organizatonal services does your library currently ofer? How can you market these tools to your students? Aside from providing classroom lessons, online course management systems such as Blackboard and Canvas can also be advantageous to help students stay organized, receive targeted training, and communicate with peers and support staf. Online collaboratve applicatons, Google Drive and Dropbox for example, can also be used as stand- alone resources.

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Course management systems can be set up to provide What is a Hackathon? informaton about using library resources, navigatng the research process, and more – think creatvely about how A hackathon is an event that typically lasts for these tools can best serve your students. multple days in which people come together to work on collaboratve technology projects. What services does your campus already use? How can you capitalize on these services to provide Examples of library hackathons can be seen here: learning and organizatonal opportunites for • University of Notre Dame neurodiverse students? • Adelphi University took their Hackathon to another level having the theme of the hackathon to develop mobile apps for the library.

If there are hackathons already taking place on your campus, make sure the library can get involved and play an actve role, or even help to host. Embedded Librarians in Online Courses Some libraries are embracing the concept of the virtually embedded librarian, and instead of expectng There are various approaches to conduct training students to come into the library, they are bringing the and programs, but the following suggestons support librarian and access to library services directly to the online partcipants, making for a more inclusive classroom classroom. environment.

One study from Florida State University placed • Ask students to preregister. In doing so, the embedded librarians in online orientaton modules and librarian can email a copy of the agenda, as well worked with the ofce of distance learning to provide as informaton about the instructor, so that each multmedia resources for distance learners (Wharton, atendee will feel more prepared. 2017). While helping all students become more familiar • Keep the number in atendance relatvely small. The with the library and library services, this would be of fewer atendees there are, the more opportunity partcular value to students on the autsm spectrum who the librarian will have to provide one-on-one beneft from advance preparaton on the library’s oferings atenton. before entering the physical environment. • To assist students with tme management and organizaton, include specifc informaton about the Technology Training duraton of each topic or actvity on the agenda. Students of all skill levels can beneft from library technology training. Courses for beginners might ofer • If possible, have a student volunteer in the room to instructon on the basics of using collaboratve sofware serve as a mentor for anyone who needs assistance while advanced classes might incorporate high-level during class. coding. Librarians may choose to bring in experts or • Email in advance, or post a list of the names, sponsor events such as Hackathons. (with pictures if possible) of the teacher/trainer, volunteers, and assistants.

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have a beter idea of how to prepare. • Consider recording the training or lecture so that a At the University of West Florida, a helpful graphic patron can return to the content at a later tme. shows the status of the computers in use on their website, • Allow students to arrive early. This allows tme allowing students to know if computers will be available for for them to ask questons about the class, fnd them to use in real tme. preferred seatng, and setle in, all of which helps them feel more comfortable and prepared.

Finding a Computer Open-access computers are ofen set apart from library classrooms and located in a large, open space. Many are on the ground foor, and one of the frst features of the library a student will see.

Think about the steps a student must take to use a computer. Are there barriers in place that could be a challenge for students on the autsm spectrum? If so, it is likely these are challenges for all students. Is there a tme of day that computers are more, or less busy? What about a tme during the semester? This could be easily featured on your website or social media pages so that students

Brainstorm ways you can improve the processes associated with student access and successful independent use of the library’s computers.

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Library Technology for Social Success

Facilitatng Interests Facilitatng Special Interests through Gaming Some individuals with ASD have very fxed interests, The most common actvity teens with ASD engage in and by supportng these interests with informaton with their friends is playing video games collaboratvely resources you can help them more efectvely engage and (Bauminger and Shulman, 2003; Kuo, Orsmond, Coster & communicate. Cohn, 2014). Additonally, studies show that along with playing video games, teens with ASD spend their leisure The Internet ofers an abundance of opportunites tme looking for informaton online about the video games for individuals with ASD to explore their interests, and they play (Kuo, Orsmond, Cohn, Coster, 2013; Kuo et al., librarians can assist by providing classes in using digital 2014; Orsmond and Kuo, 2011). This interest in video creaton and curaton tools. gaming and the manifestaton in playing games with their peers leads to opportunites for socializaton and communicaton for students with ASD (Kuo et al, 2013; Pinterest allows users to create Winter-Messiers, 2007). virtual scrapbooks, allowing people to pursue and collect images of their interests. It automatcally links each image to its source.

YouTube allows users to explore their interests by watching videos. Studies have shown that this is a popular venue for individuals with ASD to connect with one another htp://bit.ly/2HRpf1X (Brownlow, O’Dell, & Rosqvist, 2013). The atracton of gaming provides a rich opportunity for libraries to facilitate these interactons while serving as a safe and comfortable environment for students to Using iBooks, librarians might engage. Many libraries have gaming systems or sofware demonstrate how an individual already installed as recreatonal programming for students. could create their own book Consider holding gaming events that take neurodiverse of interest. They could also students into consideraton. Try advertsing these events to demonstrate how to access online your campus disability services ofce and allow students to tools for creatng photo galleries, register in advance so they can feel prepared for the event. comic strips, and journals.

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Digital Literacy and Citzenship While some individuals with ASD use traditonal According to research by Giles (2013) and Davidson social networking sites to connect with each other, some (2008), social networking spaces allow for individuals with social networking sites are available specifcally for use by ASD to connect in ways never available before: building those with ASD. Take some tme to explore the forums on community, giving mutual social support, and providing Wrong Planet, Reddit, Autsm Wiki, and Autstc Forums to these groups with a greater societal presence. Teens on the familiarize yourself with some of these resources and the spectrum use hand-held devices just as neurotypical teens conversatons taking place at each one. do, and in doing so are increasing their social opportunites which “may be helping to reduce some of the diferences Librarians are already taking an actve role in between adolescents with and without ASD and thus promotng digital literacy and supportng safe and reduce their need for special services” (Hedges, Odom, efectve engagement in the online environment. It is Hughes, & Sam, 2017 p. 75). especially important to provide learning opportunites for a student populaton with ASD, as we know that they are using the internet to connect and communicate, though are stll at risk of misunderstanding nuances in writen communicaton. Even if you do not have a targeted group of students with ASD on campus, providing general digital literacy and online safety courses for all college students will surely help neurodiverse students as they navigate the internet.

Digital Citzenship Common Sense Media ofers a digital citzenship curriculum for K-12 which can be adapted for the college student:

Recent research by Dr. Denise Agosto and Dr. June Abbas has produced two tp-sheets that are valuable for librarians. “10 Simple Tips for Safer Social Media Use” suggests guidelines for young adults to follow using social media of all types and “Best Practces for Teaching Teens to Become Safer, Smarter Social Media Users” presents eight educatonal strategies that librarians and instructors can use to increase the efectveness of online safety educaton.

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10 SimpleTechnology Tips for Safer Social Media Use*

#1. LIMIT INFORMATION SHARING VIA #2. WITHHOLD OPTIONAL PERSONAL PRIVACY SETTINGS. Select the safest INFORMATION. If you don’t have to settings for each of your different provide your name, phone number, accounts (Twitter, Instagram, etc.). address, etc., then don’t.

#3. USE A PSEUDONYM FOR YOUR #4. LIMIT YOUR ONLINE USERNAME. To keep your real name FRIENDS/FANS. hidden, try using a made-up name that Only accept people you know and trust only you and your friends will recognize as your friends or followers. as you.

#5. THINK OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC #6. CONSIDER THE POSSIBLE AS YOUR AUDIENCE. If you wouldn’t feel CONSEQUENCES BEFORE POSTING comfortable saying something to a ANYTHING ONLINE. If you hesitate or group of strangers or sharing a photo or feel unsure about sharing something in video in public, then don’t share it on social media, then don’t do it. social media.

#7. KNOW THAT ANYTHING YOU POST #8. MONITOR YOUR ONLINE CONTENT. COULD STAY ONLINE INDEFINITELY. Periodically google yourself to review Before sharing anything online, ask your account profiles and to see what yourself: “Do I want this to be available personal information others can access on the Internet for the rest of my life?” about you.

#9. CHANGE YOUR PASSWORDS #10. USE COMMON SENSE ONLINE. FREQUENTLY. Simple common sense can be your best Be sure to use different passwords for defense against possible harms of each of your different accounts. social media use.

*Written by Denise E. Agosto, Ph.D., and June Abbas, Ph.D., based on a 2014 OCLC/ALISE Li- brary & Information Science Research Grant (LISRG). For more information, visit: https://onlineprivacysafetyteens.wordpress.com/10-simple-tips-for-safer-social-media-use/.

From “10 Simple Steps for Safer Social Media Use” by D.E. Agosto & J. Abbas, 2016, A New Role for Libraries: Promotng Teens’ Privacy and Safety in the Digital Age. Copyright 2016 by Agosto & Abbas. Reprinted with permission.

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Best Practices for Teaching Teens to Become Safer, Smarter Social Media Users

2. Build on Strong Adult- 4. Avoid Scare Tactics; 3. Offer Hand-Ons Labs 1. Teach Teens about Teen Relationships Frame Lessons in Positive and Live Demonstrations Risk-Benefit Analysis Teens respond best to Terms Social media use can Online safety lessons in lessons and advice from Students dislike lessons provide teens with a range schools are often delivered adults they trust, especially framed in negative terms, or of social, emotional, and in the form of stock videos when dealing with sensitive those suggesting that nearly cognitive benefits. Instead about the potential harms of issues such as online all social media use is dan- of dismissing all social the Internet. Most students privacy and safety. Adults gerous or aggressive. Fram- media as frivolous and say that they find hands-on who want to teach teens ing lessons in positive terms dangerous, teach teens to about online safety but lack interactive online sessions sends a message of concern consider the possible trusted relationships can col- more engaging, more for teens’ well-being and benefits and harms of their laborate with trusted teach- compelling, and more actions before posting genuine interest in teaching ers, librarians, and others for effective than video-based online. teens to become well- more effective teaching. instruction. educated users.

5. Use Personal Stories and 6. Take Advantage of 7. Be a Social Media Advocate 8. Favor Education over Testimonials Teachable Moments Many schools and libraries Restriction Teens find personal testimoni- Taking advantage of teach- restrict teens’ social media use, Banning teens from social als, especially stories from fel- able moments and incidents yet teachers and library staff media might seem like a good low students or trusted adults impresses upon teens the circumvent restrictions for their way to keep them safe, but it who have had risky encounters real-life implications of online own use, sending a confusing deprives them from online, highly effective for safety lessons. Teachers and mixed message. Parents, teach- participating in online youth teaching about the potential librarians can turn teens’ ers, and librarians can work with culture, and many will find dangers of careless online negative social media school and library administrators ways around restrictions. It is behaviors. Schools and librar- experiences into valuable to develop policies that support more beneficial and realistic to ies can poll teens and staff for teaching opportunities and teens’ positive use of social teach best practices and help volunteers with meaningful avenues for promoting media in libraries, at school, teens become good digital personal stories to share. community-based healing. and elsewhere. citizens.

“Best Practices for Teaching Teens to Become Safer, Smarter Social Media Users” was written by Denise Agosto, Ph.D. (Drexel University), and June Abbas, Ph.D. (University of Oklahoma), based on research funded by a 2014 OCLC/ALISE Library and Information Science Research Grant. It draws on research conducted with 98 high school seniors in two U.S. high schools. For more information, see: https://onlineprivacysafetyteens.wordpress.com/.

From “10 Simple Steps for Safer Social Media Use” by D.E. Agosto & J. Abbas, 2016, A New Role for Libraries: Promotng Teens’ Privacy and Safety in the Digital Age. Copyright 2016 by Agosto & Abbas. Reprinted with permission. Technology

Library Technology for Life Skill Success

Video Modeling There are websites and apps available to help you One technology strategy librarians can use for teaching produce a video; the following steps can serve as an desired library behaviors is Video Modeling. Video modeling overview in creatng the video’s content: is thought to successfully target social communicaton, functonal, self-help, and positve behavioral skills (Bellini 1. Choose the skill you want to demonstrate. This may and Akullian, 2007). Video modeling can be used to show be something like selectng an online database, students how to perform tasks in the library or what fnding a book in the stacks, or atending a library behaviors are expected in library classrooms or programs. instructon session. With video modeling, a subject is recorded demonstratng 2. Determine the component parts involved in positve, never negatve, behaviors. While these videos can mastering the skill or accomplishing the task. be recorded using any actor in demonstratng the desired 3. Develop a script that incorporates each part of behavior, the theory is that if a student views someone the skill or task. This may involve dialogue or may much like him or herself, he is more likely to pay atenton simply include directves. and show motvaton. For this reason, it might be helpful to involve fellow students to record behaviors if the intended 4. Identfy components needed to create the video, audience is their peers. While it is helpful to show the including props and actors. video throughout the day, a student will especially beneft 5. Rehearse the video. from advance preparaton if shown the video prior to a 6. Edit the video to ensure only positve actons are library visit. Consider having these videos available on your included. website for students planning a trip to the library or share them through the library’s social media account. You might also collaborate with the disability services ofce to share these videos on their website as well.

Video Modeling can be used to introduce students to diferent library scenarios: View this example of a student identfying, locatng, and checking out a book:

htp://bit.ly/2pwQzvN

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Health Resources Some young adults with ASD describe using online library resources as a place to explore their own health concerns and ASD diagnoses (Anderson, 2016). While a librarian’s role is not to provide diagnostc or medical informaton, librarians know what databases and journals contain reliable health and medical informaton. Academic libraries would do well to create a libguide or pathfnder to direct students to these resources. Libraries might also collaborate with Ofces of Disability Services to advertse these health resources to students with ASD.

One example of an excellent resource guide can be found through the Florida State University Medical Library’s website, which provides updated informaton about autsm including campus events, journals, and links to websites. It is no wonder that students prefer to search for sensitve health View it here: FSU School of Medicine LibGuides informaton online, with more optons for privacy.

Tech Tools Think about how the library could support independent living for students. Libraries are designed to connect people to informaton; what if the library ofered life skills classes based on technology and helpful apps?

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Apps and specialized sofware are plentful, and it Shopping for items on a grocery list or personal care seems that more are being developed every day. How do items can be a new adventure for college students. Look individuals with ASD know which ones will best support for apps like grocery list generators, and checklist shopping their daily needs? Librarians are already skilled in analyzing apps. informaton sources and providing the best optons for their users. Many libraries ofer “technology petng zoos,” Taking care of daily needs is important for students in which patrons are invited to the library to experiment living away from home. Make it easy for them to order with devices such as e-readers and tablets. Why not expand food on the go with food delivery service apps, or see if upon this idea and download a variety of assistve apps your campus has a dining service app. onto a master tablet, invitng students in to test drive each one? More than just neurodiverse students will beneft More targeted apps are available for students with ASD from this app showcase. Use this as a way to engage all who need a litle more specialized support. One example students who want to test drive apps before downloading of an independent living app is called Identfor Companion. them onto their own devices. The app includes a virtual assistant named Abby, who is designed to identfy an individual’s interests and needs and Further Reading... to support a person on the Autsm spectrum throughout the day. The virtual assistant uses artfcial intelligence to Refer to “iPads and Tablets in Libraries,” a blog learn the routnes of users and keep their work, school, created by librarians, for current informaton about and social life on track. integratng apps into your programming. htp://tabletsinlibraries.tumblr.com/resources

For transportaton, the library could ofer programming about how to use ride-sharing apps, or how to read bus schedules online. Before holidays, the library could provide informaton about how to use map apps for directons, and fight price tracking apps for airline tckets.

Can you partner with the Business School on your campus to provide programming about using fnancial apps? With this partnership, the library might ofer programming about how to use personal fnance apps or how to sign up for apps to manage banking accounts.

College students must adjust to scheduling and managing their own tme. There are many apps available to assist with these skills; look for apps that help to divide chores among roommates, or that set alarms in preparaton for periods of transiton.

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Assistve Technologies

The Individuals with Disabilites Educaton Act defnes • Photographs, line drawings, or objects that assistve technology as: “Any item, piece of equipment, or represent actvites, items, or people product system, whether acquired commercially of the shelf, modifed, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functonal capabilites of a child with a disability” (IDEA, 2004). The purpose of assistve technology, or AT, is to improve the user’s quality of life through increased independence.

Librarians can reach out and collaborate with local experts and professionals who work with assistve technology; perhaps the best resource you might have is your ofce for disability services.

Though investng in expensive assistve technology Mid-tech devices for use in the library, requiring may not be possible for libraries with tght budgets, you batery power, may include: might be surprised at the AT optons you already have. • Visual tmers Knowledge about the technology will foster understanding • Basic word processors and a sense of welcome for the individuals using them. The Associaton of Specialized and Cooperatve Library • Statc voice output devices Agencies, a division of the American Library Associaton, • Headphones provides a useful tp sheet about some of the technologies available for libraries; it is accessible on their website.

Assistve technology does not have to be high tech or expensive. It can be relatvely simple and easy to access. In general, assistve technology is considered low tech if it does not require a power source.

Low-tech assistve technology that libraries patrons can utlize might include: • Handheld magnifers • Reachers/grabbers High-tech devices: • Large print text • Some students invest in high tech electronic • White boards, pencils, and paper devices, such as tablets or laptops, to support communicaton or social strategies.

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Web Accessibility

In Chapter 2, we discussed suggestons for surveying and updatng the physical library environment. With the prevalence of online courses and even entrely online programs, some academic library users will never even step foot on their college campuses. It is important to put just as much atenton into providing an accessible online presence as it is for the physical library structure. • Many accessibility features are also built into Macs and PCs, including magnifers, text narrators/screen Despite the positve aspects of engaging online with readers, dictaton, thicker cursors, video calling, library resources, some library websites and online tools closed captoning, dictonaries, word completon, might cause problems for students with ASD. Be sure and others. that your library’s web presence allows for ease of use by keeping sentences short and avoiding clichés or confusing fgures of speech. On your website: • Provide informaton that will help prepare patrons with ASD prepare for a library visit. • Clearly indicate hours of operaton and provide contact informaton for librarians by department or subject mater; if possible, include librarians’ photographs here as well. • Try to avoid distractng, unnecessary content such • Your library might have already invested in some as automatc background music, repeatng slide assistve sofware or equipment. This would also be shows, or video loops. a good opportunity to partner with your campus • Provide a site map that will assist with navigaton. disability ofces to direct students to their more • Have an accessibility statement describing how specialized services when a high-tech assistve the library has made its site accessible, and who to technology need arises. contact with any concerns. • While you may decide to create one yourself, accessibility statement generators are available online. You can fnd an example at accessibilitystatementgenerator.com. These generators will walk you through important consideratons one at a tme. • Databases vary enormously, and some are more user-friendly than others. It might be a good idea

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to embed locally produced videos that show library Try This! users how to use the databases without having to approach staf. Take a few minutes to survey your library’s website now and enter the URL into the following website: An interview with a web designer who is on the autsm htp://wave.webaim.org/. spectrum highlights the following:

What did you learn from this exercise that can result What can web designers do to make sites easier to in immediate, practcal applicaton? How can you browse for people with autsm? change your website, or suggest changes to your library administrators, that might beneft a diverse "Hmmm, that’s a big queston! I think the student populaton? biggest thing is be logical and be consistent. For anyone having a website which makes sense is important, backing it up with consistent delivery makes it usable for more people, autstc people included. Other bug bears may be music on load, and other highly distractng elements. If your using a screen reader, then having some music play on load can be debilitatng. Furthermore, the sensory side of unexpected audio load can cause stress, or 'shock'. Sudden and frequent changes of sound can cause serious problems to those who are more sensitve."

Are there any specifc challenges you encounter regarding diferent kinds of web content? To see web accessibility in acton, visit the Autstc Self Advocacy Network’s own “Accessibility Optons” page, "Video can sometmes be a problem, more which describes in detail optons a site visitor can select. specifcally when there is language at very high speed. Sometmes (very much when stressed) I Aside from the website, it is likely that your library fnd processing language very difcult or slow. I has a social media presence, virtual reference services, or am lucky that this is ofen limited to only when I’m even an app. Think about how each of these virtual spaces stressed however others on the spectrum may fnd can be modifed to beter provide for students with ASD. language at speed an issue all the tme. Sometmes For example, does your social media content utlize wity the ability to slow content down, can help with sayings or idioms? Remember that individuals with ASD understanding… I have never seen a system which are literal thinkers, and these communicatons will likely can slow video or sound down to make it more be difcult for them to grasp. understandable, this is something I would love to see in the future” (Swan, 2009).

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It is up to us, as librarians, to ensure that what students might perceive as a comfortable space online remains easy to use and welcoming for students with ASD. Debra Riley-Huf, a web services librarian frames it efectvely: “Move away from the approach of building separately for disabled users, and concern yourself with creatng clean, beautful, usable, and accessible websites. Remember that the user is never the problem - the website is - and it is your job to create a great user experience” (Riley-Huf, 2012).

Further Reading There is always more to learn, and if you or someone in your department is interested in gaining more knowledge, there are multple credible sources.

For comprehensive tps from the American Library Associaton, visit their wiki here: htp://wikis.ala.org/professionaltps/index.php?ttle=Web_Accessibility

Additonally, the Associaton of Research Libraries ofers as Web Accessibility Toolkit, which can be found here: htp://accessibility.arl.org/standards-best-practces/

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References

Agosto, D. E., & Abbas, J. (2016). Ten simple tps for helping students become safer, smarter social media users. Knowledge Quest, 44(4), 42. Anderson, A. M. (2016). Wrong planet, right library: College students with autsm spectrum disorder and the academic library (Doctoral dissertaton, The Florida State University). Brownlow, C., O’Dell, L., & Rosqvist, H. B. (2013). Challenging representatons of autsm: Exploring possibilites for broadcastng the self on YouTube. Journal On Developmental Disabilites, 19(1).

Daley, J. (2016). Technology for teens and college students with autsm. Learning Works for Kids. Retrieved from: htp://learningworksforkids.com/2016/03/technology-for-teens-and-college-students-with- autsm/ Davidson, J. (2008). Autstc culture online: virtual communicaton and cultural expression on the spectrum. Social & Cultural Geography, 9(7), 791-806. Giles, D. C. (2014). ‘DSM-V is taking away our identty’: The reacton of the online community to the proposed changes in the diagnosis of Asperger’s disorder. Health, 18(2), 179-195. Hedges, S. H., Odom, S. L., Hume, K., & Sam, A. (2017). Technology use as a support tool by secondary students with autsm. Autsm, 22(1), 70-79. Individuals with Disabilites Educaton Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 (2004) Kuo, M. H., Orsmond, G. I., Cohn, E. S., & Coster, W. J. (2013). Friendship characteristcs and actvity paterns of adolescents with an autsm spectrum disorder. Autsm, 17(4), 481-500. Kuo, M. H., Orsmond, G. I., Coster, W. J., & Cohn, E. S. (2014). Media use among adolescents with autsm spectrum disorder. Autsm, 18(8), 914-923. Orsmond, G. I., & Kuo, H. Y. (2011). The daily lives of adolescents with an autsm spectrum disorder: Discretonary tme use and actvity partners. Autsm, 15(5), 579-599. Riley-Huf, D. A. (2012). Web accessibility and universal design: A primer on standards and best practces for libraries. Library Technology Reports, 48(7), 29. Swan, H., (2009) An interview with Jamie Knight: Autsm and accessible web design. IHENI. Retrieved from

htp://www.iheni.com/an-interview-with-jamie-knight-autsm-and-accessible-web-design/

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Wharton, L. N. (2017). From assessment to implementaton: Using qualitatve interviews to inform distance learning library services. Journal of Library & Informaton Services in Distance Learning, 11(1-2), 196- 205.

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6 Employment

Neurodiversity in the workplace is gradually becoming a topic of increased interest within corporate America and also the library community. Steve Silberman’s best- selling book, NeuroTribes (2015) popularized the idea of neurodiversity, contnues to gain in infuence, and the book has been joined by a regular stream of artcles and essays about neurodiversity employment in venues like the Harvard Business Review, The New York Times and elsewhere. “While diversity hiring initatves were once considered largely a form of corporate social responsibility and resourced accordingly, more recent diversity recruitment initatves have emphasized the corporate economic value of employee diversity and the value of

diversity to the botom line.” (Bernick, 2017) Charlie Remy, htps://bit.ly/2HWj9kF a professional librarian on the autsm spectrum, speaks about employment in libraries in the video below:

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ASD in the Workforce

Overview on specifc accommodatons for this populaton. Secondly, As the number of persons with autsm is increasing, it businesses operate in highly litgious and cost-conscious is estmated that there will also be an increase of 230% of environments. Concerns about rising healthcare costs, those with ASD in the workplace in the next 8 years. disability insurance, and workers’ compensaton may hinder the recruitment of employees with disabilites, Employers have a duty to accommodate people including those with autsm. Employers may also balk at with any form of disability and employees with the the added tme and cost of training supervisors and co- developmental disability of autsm are protected under workers. Another challenge is an internal one. Supervisors the Americans with Disabilites Act. There is also a need to think of the employee as valuable – not a “token.” movement to incorporate neurodiversity in the workplace. Neurodiversity is a concept where neurological diferences For all these reasons, employment rates for adults with are to be recognized and respected as any other human autsm are shockingly low. One study found that only 58 variaton. percent of young adults on the autsm spectrum worked afer completng high school. This is lower than nearly The issue of disclosure for individuals with an obvious every other populaton with disabilites studied, including disability – a person who is wheelchair bound, for those with an intellectual disability (Roux, Shatuck, Rast, instance – is presented immediately upon meetng with Anderson, 2017). a prospectve employer. For people with ASD and other “invisible” disabilites, however, the decision to disclose their disability can be complicated. Many employees with autsm fear being judged because the accommodatons 58% they need are ofen related to the “sof skills” on a job site of young adults with ASD and are not always easy to see or understand. worked afer high school

ASD Employment in Libraries We know that many individuals with ASD fnd comfort and value in libraries. It only makes sense, then, that many people on the spectrum who are seeking actve employment turn to the library as a potental employer. College students with ASD are employed in libraries through structured support programs and simply as work study employees; graduate students with ASD in library programs are interning, earning course credit, and serving as graduate assistants in the library; and many There are several challenges for employers who want to professionals on the spectrum with a graduate degree employ persons with ASD. First, there is a lack of informaton fnd rewarding lifelong careers in academic librarianship.

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At every step in this employment process, librarians need excellent, dependable and long-term employees. They to understand basic qualites about this populaton and follow company rules, arrive on tme, and have low rates strategies for support to reduce barriers for successful of absenteeism. One employer noted that the turnover workforce partcipaton by library employees with ASD. rate of his employees with autsm is one third that of neurotypical thus, reducing company costs. Research shows.... Employers agreed that neurotypical employees also "In an accessibility series on her blog, librarian Sara beneft from the supports put in place for their coworkers Bryce says: “Compassion in libraries shouldn’t only with autsm such as visual reminders and simplifed job be directed towards patrons we serve, but also the descriptons. librarians and paraprofessionals working in these setngs” (Bryce, 2017). Research shows.... "Yvona Fast, an adult with ASD, says many of the As one librarian at Florida State University says, populaton’s shared characteristcs are a beneft in “Librarianship is a helping profession”. What does this the workforce. “As a group, we tend to be artculate, mean to you? We ofen think of ourselves as helpers for thorough, kind, and persistent. Many of us are highly our patrons, our students, and even faculty and staf that educated, have great verbal and writng skills, and we serve. But what about our peers? What are we doing are highly motvated, conscientous, honest, and for our coworkers who have invisible disabilites? hardworking” (Bissonnete, 2013, p. 12).

Employment Strengths When given the opportunity to succeed, adults with Though some of these characteristcs are shared ASD can bring so much to the working environment. across the populaton, it is important to be careful and not Generally recognized strengths of adults with ASD include: limit thinking that all individuals with ASD prefer the same • The ability to sustain focus and concentrate on tasks type of work. Just like anyone else, people on the autsm spectrum have individual strengths and weaknesses, likes • Strong long-term memory, especially for facts and and dislikes. Consider the broad characteristc of employees details with ASD as a whole while also allowing for individual • Deep knowledge of specialized topics preferences and skills. Leigh, an adult with ASD, describes • Atenton to detail the challenges in job searching and how many people who know of this diagnosis advise him to seek a job in coding: • Logical approach to situatons “’People look at my autsm and assume I like coding,’ Leigh • Creatvity says, adding an exuberant, ‘Not here!’ Instead, Leigh has • Persistence to task completon two great passions: books and birds. He craves a job that is • Honesty and loyalty intellectually engaging and relates to at least one of those areas” (Carr, 2017). (Bissonnete, 2013) At a recent conference hosted by Autsm Speaks, Despite being motvated to work, passionate about his business leaders with a proven track record of hiring interests, and educated, securing stable employment is a employees with autsm say that these workers are ofen challenge for Leigh and many others with ASD.

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The Job Interview as a Barrier to Employment. Many job seekers with ASD do not get the opportunity to showcase their strengths in the workforce due to barriers to entry. Partcularly the job interview itself is a stumbling block for many potental employees on the spectrum.

Interview Accommodatons move through the schedule from item to item, bring out the card or paper with the symbol for that item. Find out well in advance: • Plenty of long pauses to think and process. Let them • How the person prefers to communicate – verbally, set the pace. writng, sign language, picture exchange system, communicaton device, etc. • Plenty of tme to respond to any questons. • If the person has any sensitvites – bright lights, • Speak literally, avoid any expressions or sayings. noise, actvity, textures, odors, etc. • Speak in direct, clear language using a calm tone of Hold the interview someplace which: voice. • Has indirect, sof lightng • Provide a sign language interpreter if needed. • Has few distractng background sounds (a "white • Do not be bothered if the person does not make noise" machine might help) eye contact, exhibits repettve behavior, or repeats • Has few distractng background actvites – people phrases back to you. (However, repetton of your moving around, etc. phrases may be the person's way of saying they do not understand your queston or do not know how • Has no cluter to answer. Alternatvely, it might be their way of • Has plenty of room to walk between objects saying they do understand what you said and are (furniture, etc.) processing it.) • Has comfortable furniture • Be careful to live up to any commitments you Well in advance, provide the person with: make, such as mailing material to them or fnding • An outline/schedule of the interview, with a unique out about something before the next meetng. It is symbol associated with each actvity or phase easy for people with ASD to take a casual ofer or • A social story of the interview, if possible agreement as a frm promise and later feel betrayed if the other person does not live up to it. Similarly, • A social story of the vocatonal evaluaton process, be careful about skipping over any "minor" agency if possible policies or steps in a process. The person may • A social story of the vocatonal rehabilitaton believe that "rules are rules." process, if possible • Do not try to make any jokes or funny comments untl you understand the person's sense of humor During the Interview, provide the person with: and how literally they take things. • Another copy of the outline/schedule, in case they forgot the one you sent.

• Cards or small sheets of paper, each with a copy Adapted with permission from “Adult Autsm & Employment: A Guide for Vocatonal Rehabilitaton Professionals” by W.S. Standifer, Produced of the symbols from the outline/schedule, to by Disability Policy and Studies, School of Health Professions, University of Missouri, ©2009. represent where you are in the schedule. As you

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Job seekers with ASD are ofen literal thinkers and may have trouble with hypothetcal situatons posed in a job interview. Questons such as “What would you do in this situaton…?” could be hard to address, as there is no One employment coach with a targeted concrete answer. When asked a yes or no type of queston, autsm program for students with ASD says: applicants might not understand that they could, and ofen “When you’re looking to bring in students, should, elaborate on their answer aside from giving a especially during the interview process, it simple yes or no. would be helpful to understand that if they haven’t had the vocatonal coaching, they Instead of asking: Try asking: might not have all the typical interview skills What would you do in this Tell me about a tme that like eye contact. And that’s something that, situatons? you...? in the regular workplace, can be held against you…that you’re not making eye contact, or that you’re fdgetng a litle bit. If they understand that it’s just something that comes along with it, it will probably help the student get in there, and also it helps the employer understand the student. And that’s very helpful when they’re actually working there… So, anyone who’s interviewing these students, that would be one of the big things that I’d like them to know while interviewing Additonally, communicaton stll presents a challenge for someone. Because it will help the student many on the autsm spectrum, and applicants might have get the job.” trouble picking up on interviewers’ body language and social cues. In one example, Leigh, a librarian interviewing for a positon said, “When asked last year during one library interview how well he would do managing a small During the applicaton and interviewing process, team of volunteers, Leigh replied, ‘Not very well. I can be potental employees with ASD also must address how, tyrannical.’ He did not get the job” (Carr, 2017, para. 5.) or if, they choose to disclose their diagnosis. Should a person disclose or not? There is no clear consensus, and opinions are strong on both sides. Some think that more supports and empathy will be provided if an interviewee discloses; other believe that this informaton will be held against them and they will be less likely to get the job. The interview process is already tough for all candidates – now think about adding the additonal mental strain of wondering, throughout the interview, whether or not to share such personal informaton.

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• Hire the person on a trial period or as an internship List some challenges that you personally experience to test the waters. during job interviews. Now, refect upon how that could be compounded for an individual with ASD. • The person could create a video and submit it in lieu Think about social norms, communicaton, concern of an interview. about disclosure, and sensory processing concerns. • You may also be working with other agencies like the disabilites ofce or counseling center on campus who make recommendatons to you for hiring.

Some companies are recognizing the interview as an unnecessary barrier to entry for individuals with ASD, Take a moment to think about your own interviewing and are instead providing alternatve approaches. At process. How might you tailor some of the processes Microsof, applicants with ASD are brought onto campus to ensure that neurodiverse candidates are getng an for two weeks, assigned to work on projects, and observed equal opportunity? throughout the process. At the end of this period, a more formal interview takes place, though at that point hiring managers have a beter understanding of the individual’s ability to complete the work at hand (Vara, 2016). Other optons can include • Allowing a career coach to sit in for the interview to help decode some of the questons • Preparing the interviewee in advance with a list of questons they will be asked. • A traveling interview where job candidates observe employees performing the job for which they are being considered –

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ASD Employment in Libraries

What kind of roles or tasks do you think individuals, whether student workers or professionals, with ASD would be involved in while employed at the library?

One children’s librarian on the autsm spectrum says, “There are many pre-conceived notons out there about autstc people: that we lack empathy, that we are unable to relate to others, the list goes on and on. Lots of things that would make people think that we can’t work with kids. Yet, I’m an autstc man working as a children’s librarian, and there isn’t anything else I’d rather be doing” (Spectrum, J., Expanding our Thinking about Roles 2017). What kind of roles or tasks do you think individuals, whether student workers or professionals, with ASD would People with ASD are able to – and desire to – have be involved in while employed at the library? employment at all levels of the library organizaton. Work in Libraries You might frst think about shelving, which is repettve and consistent. Employing individuals with ASD as shelvers Staf Professional • Shelving • Subject Specialist is a great start, but there are many other optons. While • Materials • Informaton shelving might be a great ft for many people on the processing Technology spectrum, remember that every person has diferent • Catalog • Collecton strengths and might be more commited to a positon that maintenance development engages their partcular focused interests. As librarian • Digitzaton/digital • Interlibrary loan repository Emily Lawrence states, “the noton that all Autstcs are • Cataloging and • Inventories metadata well suited to certain kinds of repettous labor but ill- • Preservaton • Periodicals librarian suited to complex, demanding professional practce is • Accountng clerk • Webmaster/social false” (Lawrence, 2013). media manager

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Student Workers Involving students with ASD as interns and part-tme There are a variety of situatons in which students with employees can introduce them to a career path as a ASD fnd employment at their campus library. They could librarian. By exposing students with ASD to librarianship, be undergraduate students in search of a part-tme job in you are potentally helping them explore what could be a familiar locaton, they could be looking for internships a fulflling lifelong career. At one university, students in a for college credit, or they could be LIS students working targeted ASD program get work experience at the campus towards their graduate degree. In all situatons, librarians library: can, and should, be able to provide professional on-the- job training and positve experiences for these students as “Every semester we do have a student worker they embark on their career. from the (targeted) program. And the reason behind that is that when the program was frst One study surveyed neurotypical undergraduate initated, the focus was on student academic student library workers and found that they “believe success and retenton. And afer they did the working in the library helps build skills useful for future jobs program for awhile they realized that in terms and careers, including communicaton skills and customer of retenton and academic success that these service skills” (Jacobson & Shuyler, 2013). Both of these (targeted program) students were actually areas are where students with ASD would likely beneft. percentage-wise higher than the mainstream students. And so…a large part of what they’re Working at the library also adds structure to students’ doing now is, they’re helping kids transiton lives. Though some neurotypical students report that this from college to the work force. And in that is a drawback, in that it interferes with their social schedule spirit, we decided to host a student worker (Jacobson & Shuyler, 2013), for students with ASD this every semester so that they could gain work structure could be a welcome additon to their campus experience and see if they might be interested routne since individuals with ASD typically thrive in more in working in libraries.” structured environments (VanBergeijk et al., 2008).

As one librarian states, students with ASD thrive while employed at the library because “for the most part it’s very structured. It’s very clear-cut instructons as to what they’re going to be doing. It’s relatvely quiet. Some of our students would like quiet environments and they do beter in quiet structured environments, and the library is about as quiet and structured as it can get. So, some of our students really do like that.”

Providing structure is important for helping to support these student workers succeed. Topics that might seem like common knowledge such as the dress code, when to arrive and arrival procedures, when to leave work, how long to take a lunch break, where to store personal

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belongings, and who to approach with questons should all Take a moment now to think about how you can be explicitly taught (VanBergeijk et al., 2008). Preferably, build supports into your tasks for student workers to these workplace expectatons and norms should be beter support employees with ASD. writen down so that the employee can take them home and prepare for work on his or her own.

Employing student workers with ASD provides opportunites for the students to gain working experience in a comfortable, structured environment while exploring career optons and practcing communicaton and social skills.

Job Accommodatons Interactng with Coworkers: Communicatng Efectvely with Supervisors: • Provide workplace sensitvity training to promote • Provide detailed day-to-day guidance and feedback disability awareness • Identfy areas of improvement for employee in a fair • Help employee “learn the ropes” by providing a and consistent manner mentor • Provide clear expectatons and the consequences of • Make employee atendance at social functons not meetng expectatons optonal • Establish long term and short term goals for • Allow employee to transfer to another workgroup, employee shif, or department • Assist employee in assigning priority to assignments • Encourage employees to minimize personal • Assign projects in a systematc and predictable conversaton, or move personal conversaton away manner from work areas Communicatng in the Workplace: • Provide telework, or work-at-home, as a job • Provide advance notce of meetngs accommodaton • Allow employee to provide writen response in lieu • Allow alternatve forms of communicaton between of verbal response coworkers, such as email, instant messaging, or text • Allow employee to bring an advocate to messaging performance reviews and disciplinary meetngs Exhibitng Acceptable Workplace Social Skills: • Encourage all employees to model acceptable social skills • Recognize and reward acceptable behavior to reinforce such behaviors

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Graduate Students was hard for him because he found that the librarians Just like with undergraduate student workers, graduate wanted to hire graduate students who already had students with ASD will beneft in many ways from working experience. in the academic library.

As he saw it, “even the internship Does your library provide opportunites for graduate positons hosted by the School of Library student employment in the form of assistantships or and Informaton Science seemed to favor internships? It is possible that you work for an insttuton students with previous career experience. that also has a library and informaton studies program, in Wasn’t the purpose of these internships which case there could be ample opportunity to work with to give students like myself who were graduate student workers. What about other graduate new to the feld and had relatvely litle students too? If your college or university ofers degrees in experience a chance to learn more about digital humanites, instructonal design, or educaton these the library science profession and gain graduate students might also fnd value in working for the more experience? Yet, even the libraries library. Many libraries hire subject specialist librarians with that hosted these internships chose a graduate degree in their feld of interest. Consider also students with more career experience so opening up opportunites for graduate students in all areas that they could spend less tme teaching to assist with collecton development in their partcular and training them” (Zupon, 2013). area of study.

Employment coach Barbara Bissonnete confrms this idea and says that “direct connectons” must be made between what a student is learning in class and what will be expected from them in the workforce (Bissonnete, 2013). Understanding communicatve and social expectatons required in the workforce is also an important skill that can be learned on the job, and one which students with ASD need to be compettve in the employment market (Hansen, 2015). Without opportunites to engage in the library as a student employee, individuals with ASD are at a disadvantage when applying for professional positons upon their graduaton. Gaining experience as a student is important for graduate students with ASD who hope to obtain meaningful Librarian Charlie Remy echoes the idea that individuals employment upon graduaton and ofering that experience with ASD seeking a career in librarianship need practcal to students who hope to work in libraries is a powerful experience. Charlie has this advice for potental librarians opportunity academic librarians can provide. Philip Zupon, on the spectrum: “Experience, experience, experience! a librarian with ASD, describes how he was unable to get Whether it’s volunteering, working part-tme, internship, meaningful experiences from his LIS coursework unless he etc., I cannot emphasize this enough. Nearly all library jobs was able to put it into practce. Securing an assistantship require some kind of experience regardless of whether

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someone has an MLS. Even many paraprofessional jobs require library experience. Hopefully they’re atending As one employment coach for a college library schools with autsm support programs on their autsm program says, “I think that there campuses that can help them prepare for the job search are a couple of things that our students like with mock interviews, career fairs, resume preparaton, about working at the library. The frst one etc. Sometmes a person’s valuable and, perhaps, unique is, for the students that are working there skillset might be able to “compensate” for their social now, they just love books. They love reading awkwardness during interviews. Therefore, it’s important and it’s a comfort zone for them. It’s a place that they showcase their skillsets via a website, portolio, where, they know everything that’s going multmedia, etc.” (Eng, 2017). on. They’ve been in libraries their entre life and they enjoy it.” Professional Librarian Many librarians describe entering the profession Yvona Fast found part tme employment in a university because of a familiarity and level of comfort with libraries medical library based on her love of reading; this led her to from the public library in childhood to their own college be comfortable in the environment and she then applied for graduate library educaton: Think about obstacles graduate students with ASD

might face in securing an assistantship or internship “By this tme, because of my love of reading with your library. How can you provide alternate and the suggeston of a couple of well- opportunites for students who need practcal meaning friends, I decided I wanted to be experience? a librarian. One of my beter jobs was as a part-tme library clerk in a university medical library, shelving books and checking out materials at the circulaton desk. It was a minimum wage job, but at least they didn’t fre me. Since I had spent much tme in libraries, I felt comfortable” (2004, p. 61).

Take this tme to refect on ways you can provide mentoring opportunites for students - library experiences (Ard, Clemmons, Morgan, Sessions, undergraduate or graduate, employed by the library Spencer, Tidwell, & West; Hussey, 2006; Van House, or not – who show an interest in your job or working 1988). This phenomenon is also true for librarians with environment. ASD - that they are ofen drawn to the profession from previous positve experiences with reading, learning, and exploring interests at the library. Think about this with your interactons with students as patrons – these could be potental academic librarians and library staf that you are introducing to the feld.

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Librarian Philip Zupon describes his career path as Take a moment to think about ways you can share being directly infuenced by all of the tme he spent informaton about your job and the library profession at libraries growing up – frst, as a child visitng with his with students – both on the spectrum and otherwise. mother, next as a teenager exploring his interests, and Can you host a career fair in the library? Can you set fnally as a college student at the academic library. While up a “speed datng” program for students to get to studying architecture he began having conversatons with know their librarians beter? the community college librarians about their careers, and he began to explore a career change for himself. How can librarians make this process easier for students with a curiosity about the profession but who perhaps lack the motvaton or courage to ask? If students with ASD are already in the library, we know this is likely a comfortable environment for them. Why not open up a dialogue about potental for a future in the feld?

“Afer all, if I loved to visit libraries to look up my topics of interest, why would I not love being the librarian who helped other people discover the resources that would help them learn more about things that they were passionate about? From the tme that I was litle, everyone kept telling me that I was a “walking encyclopedia.” I Challenges. Finishing a graduate degree, fnding a job could not think of a beter job for a person with that is a good ft, and being successful in that job can be a that gif than being a librarian. To be sure that I challenge for any academic librarian; for librarians on the was headed in the right directon, I interviewed autsm spectrum the challenges can be even greater. two other librarians, one at my community college and another at another public library Being a librarian can be rewarding, but fnding a healthy near where I lived” (Zupon, 2013) work environment for both employee and employer is not always easy. Zupon (2013) describes being let go from his frst library job due to what he describes as symptoms of his Asperger’s: “Some of the major quirks that are a part of my Asperger’s Syndrome began to rear their ugly heads against me. First, there was the issue of social skills…Next there was the issue of mult-tasking. Usually, when I learn a job that requires me to do more than one major task at a tme, I have to learn each task separately and practce them again and again untl I learn them or write the job procedures down on paper so that I can look at the procedures as a fresh reminder whenever I have to do the job. Finally, there was the issue of learning the leadership

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hierarchy of the library system. Because I had never had Executve functoning can also be a challenge for some so many immediate supervisors and managers directly employees with ASD without having access to proper above me in a workplace environment, I had a terrible tme support. Asperger career coach Barbara Bissonnete (2013) fguring out the chain of command among all of them. This lists those challenges as: led to my eventual dismissal from the library afer only a year of working there” (para 3). • Unsure of how to begin tasks or projects • Underestmatng how long a task will or should take Zupon describes three major on-the-job challenges, none of them being that he could not complete his • Becoming lost in details dutes. Instead, he struggled with social skills, mult- • Not seeing optons tasking, and understanding the leadership hierarchy. • Easily distracted Take some tme now to think about how you could • Forgetng what needs to be done support similar employees to ensure they succeed. • Forgetng verbal instructons • Working too slowly • Unsure of how to prioritze • Difculty multtasking • Unsure of expectatons • Appearing to not take initatve because next steps are unclear • Asking too many questons • Actng impulsively • Resistng change or insistng on doing things a certain way

This list should not be seen as challenges that all employees with ASD face; instead it is provided as a checklist for self-evaluaton so that individuals on the job market can become more self-aware of personal traits and areas for growth.

Working Environment Challenges. The working environment may be bothersome if it is noisy, busy, or clutered. Sensory issues such as lightng, visuals, or even smells may be upsetng and afect behavior and productvity. Social cues might be misunderstood working with the public or even in a group of coworkers. Multtasking can be hard, and an employee might instead

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focus narrowly on one minor task. If asked to work outside • Meetngs in partcular can be challenging for an of an area of interest, an employee with ASD might lose employee on the autsm spectrum. If a meetng has concentraton an agenda this can be helpful, but many meetng discussions deviate from agendas. If not planned Navigatng social dynamics at work can detract from well in advance or scheduled regularly, meetngs a person’s ability to successfully complete work tasks, can interrupt the regular daily routne for an leading to barriers for an employee with ASD. Individuals employee. must navigate the social dynamics in a group setng, while working to determine which piece of informaton he or she Use this tme to brainstorm how you can more should prioritze and focus on. The employee might fxate efectvely plan meetngs to be inclusive of on one aspect of the conversaton while not processing the neurodiverse employees: other, perhaps more important, topics

Refer back to chapters three and four for more informaton about social and communicatve concerns for people with ASD as you refect upon the following social Rewards. Individuals with ASD who are able to situatons in the workplace. establish careers in librarianship can fnd the feld to be incredibly rewarding. • Try to avoid unstructured tme. Employees on the autsm spectrum might not know what to do with it, Charlie Remy decided to be a librarian before he and instead prefer to be on a schedule. received his autsm diagnosis and has since found a • Provide icebreakers and small actvites for social rewarding career: “My decision to become a librarian events such as ofce partes and potlucks. wasn’t directly related to my autsm diagnosis but I will • Keep engagement and entertainment optons say that libraries can be good places for autstc people available in break and lunch rooms such as games to work…Being a librarian lets me surround myself with and reading materials. informaton and satsfes my intellectual curiosity (Eng, 2017). Remy has since founded a Facebook group, Autstcs in Libraries and their Allies, which is a valuable resource for

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others wishing to become more involved in the intersecton support. of autsm and libraries. How can librarians help to recruit individuals with ASD? Along with the typical sites for librarianship and higher educaton, try also postng job ads on The Spectrum Careers, a site that allow jobs seekers with ASD to build their job seeking capacity and search for jobs where actve support systems already exist. Job Supports As a supervisor or as a coworker, there are multple strategies that you can put into place to ofer more support Librarian Paul Wyss publishes and presents about his to employees with ASD in the library. journey earning an M.L.S, an Ed.D., and working as an academic librarian with autsm. Wyss fnds his work on • Keep schedules consistent the reference desk partcularly rewarding as he is a skilled • Reduce or eliminate unstructured tme by providing database user and can always fnd resources for students clear, writen, acton items who ofen seem stumped. • Be direct and specifc in communicatons “I don’t fnd autsm to be a disability. Rather, • Explain and interpret social norms and ofce culture in the mild form that I have I feel ‘diferently • Provide advance notce about any changes in abled.’ I feel as though I can really hone-in policies or procedures on what students and faculty members are • Supply writen documentaton about job looking for and that I can translate their expectatons informaton into a form that a database can understand. I feel as though I am a good and • Explain how tasks ft into the “bigger picture” of the actve listener and that this atribute helps organizaton me assist students and faculty members • Break training or instructon into smaller segments meet their research goals in a comprehensive • Acknowledge concerns and take sensory issues manner.” seriously

Even though it is likely that many individuals with • Allow use of notetaking devices such as laptops ASD are currently working in academic libraries, we only during meetngs have the stories from those who have chosen to disclose • Provide quiet workspaces their diagnoses and discuss their career paths openly. (Bissonnete, 2013; Hagner & Cooney, 2005) Disclosure is a personal decision, so we might assume that many more share similar stories but are hesitant to As one employment coach describes, for students have those conversatons. As knowledge about ASD in the in his targeted program who work in the campus library, workforce becomes more widespread, and support more “(provide) a structured work environment. If the (employee) readily available, we can only hope that others will also feel knows what they’re doing, if everything is writen out comfortable in sharing their stories and reaching out for whether you send them an email, or in person and it’s on

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a piece of paper, writen instructons have been helpful tailored to include the ASD populaton as well. In conductng for a lot of our students. If things are changing constantly, any program or class for individuals with ASD, be sure to that’s not always the best thing. The more structure, in my frst create detailed schedules, templates of which can be experience, the beter.” found in the Arranging the Library Environment chapter.

Libraries could consider conductng a variety When asked, "what advice would you give to of workshops, including resume building and mock a manager who is hiring a librarian with autsm? interviewing. Librarians can show examples of resume Charlie: "First, have an open mind and templates available through popular word processing don’t defne the person by their autsm! Autsm sofware and help job seekers understand what kind of is an important part of our identtes but it’s informaton to include and what informaton to omit from only a part. Some of the qualites I look for in a resume. Librarians can also provide reference materials a good boss are: ability to listen and provide or online sources to increase job seekers’ confdence in reassurance when I doubt myself, patence with searching even when one-on-one help is not available. my quirks (such as asking endless questons), providing clear and detailed instructons, fexible and willing to make accommodatons when Think of workforce development initatves already necessary, and a clear and direct communicator ofered within your library. Now, take a minute to who will regularly provide me with constructve consider adaptatons to these initatves that will feedback (especially when it comes to navigatng make them more inclusive for individuals with ASD. ofce politcs!)”(Eng, 2017).

Campus Partnerships and Resources Creatng partnerships across campus to help recruit and retain individuals with ASD as employees is an important initatve the library can lead. This is also an opportunity to make other campus organizatons aware of the informaton available for job seekers within the library.

Even if your campus does not have a program specifcally for students with ASD, there are other ways to create meaningful partnerships to support employment for members of this populaton. Think about positons available at your library that might be conducive for an individual with ASD. Consider advertsing these positons with your local ASD advocacy and training group or a disability resource ofce on your college campus. Many libraries already support workforce development and training, and with minor modifcatons these might be

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The Asperger’s Syndrome Workplace Survival Guide is an excellent book to add to your collecton for neurodiverse job seekers, and Autsm Speaks also provides a job seeker’s template, in which individuals with ASD can list strengths, interests, and assessments to aid in exploring current job opportunites. Be sure that you are providing informaton to help those who might be actvely or even passively seeking career guidance while spending tme in one of their favorite places: the library.

Students and adults with ASD want to contribute to the workforce meaningfully just as any other segment of the populaton does, but many contributng factors are barriers to their employment. For both student workers and professionals with ASD, librarians can improve practces in recruitng, interviewing, and retaining qualifed employees. Providing supports along the way can lead to successful employment for members of an underemployed populaton and dedicated and reliable employees for academic libraries as well.

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