BC Summer Reading Club is excited to partner with AIDE Canada to bring this free webinar to library workers across BC (and beyond) on creating autism friendly libraries for children and youth. The presentation will be recorded and posted onto the BC SRC staff website. This presentation is part of BC Summer Reading Club’s ongoing commitment to accessibility. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, and their ongoing support for professional development opportunities for public library workers.
Details
Date: Thursday, July 25 from 9am to 10am (PDT)
Open to any and all library staff
Presentation Description
Approximately 1 in 30 children in BC has an autism diagnosis. As librarians and library workers, we want our libraries to be accessible and welcoming to autistic children and their families. Too often though, we struggle to make changes due to budget constraints, staffing challenges, lack of information, or simply fear of “getting it wrong.” In this presentation, Julia and Allison will provide insight into what it means to be autistic and how libraries can create safe and engaging environments for autistic young people. You will leave with free resources and actionable ideas for staff training, policies, and programs for libraries of all sizes and budgets.
Presenter Bios
- Allison Hill, MLIS is a special librarian with an interest in autism information needs and services. She has managed the Autism and/or Intellectual Disability Knowledge Exchange Network (AIDE Canada) Library since its inception in 2020.
- Julia Kate Mitchell is an Autistic self-advocate and the Education and Employment Specialist at the Pacific Autism Family Network. Her advocacy work includes speaking engagements on behalf of AIDE Canada as well as social media advocacy through her Instagram account @juliakatemitchell.
