On November 14, 2013, I attended the Libraries and Autism: We're Connected conference sponsored by the Maryland Library Association. The presenter, Catherine Creighton Thompson, is the mother of a child with autism, so she was able to use personal experiences to good effect in her presentation. I learned what autism is, a neurobiological disorder originating from complex bran development. Catherine Creighton Thompson also talked about the restrictive behaviors but also the strengths of individuals with autism. I also learned about strategies to use when helping autistic patrons and about adapting materials to better serve individuals with autism.
At the end, several librarians were talking about their sensory storytimes geared towards autistic patrons and others with special needs. Hopefully we'll be able to incorporate those ideas into new programs at our library.
Abigail Andrews
Children's Dept. in Hagerstown
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