Seeing Beyond the Spectrum

Alexis Chanthachack, assistant director of Beals Memorial Library (BML) in Winchendon, Massachusetts, knows how difficult it can be to find activities and events—especially in rural areas—that are welcoming to autistic youth. That immediacy led the mother of two sons diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to become the driving force behind BML’s accessibility work—work that led the library to receive a Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant from the American Library Association (ALA) to enhance accessibility for patrons on the autism spectrum.

BML serves a community of around 10,000 people, and Chanthachack saw the $10,000 LTC grant as an opportunity to advance autism inclusion in the Winchendon area, along with other types of neurodivergence. When the library applied for the grant, there were few programs in Winchendon for neurodivergent youth. After speaking with residents who have been diagnosed with ASD, Chanthachack decided to apply for the grant.

Alexis Chanthachack

“Autism can be very isolating not only for the individual or kid, but it can be very isolating for their family or caregiver as well,” Chanthachack told The Gardner News. “I wanted my kids to have a community and to be able to do fun stuff, so I saw my position in the library as the opportunity to create that community for them and other families.”

After being awarded the LTC funds in June 2023, BML focused its efforts. A specific goal was promoting acceptance of people with autism. Their effort to create more accessible spaces for those with autism has touched all aspects of the library’s work, from programs to collections to staff-patron interactions. One of the library’s biggest accomplishments is the launching of its “See Beyond the Spectrum” initiative.

As part of this initiative, the library established a monthly “Sensory Friendly Browsing Hour,” where BML staff help neurodivergent patrons and those who are on the autism spectrum navigate the library and its various services. Working with partners from the local YMCA, the library created a monthly “Autism Friendly Open Swim” event for those who need a quieter environment for swimming. The library also hosts a Sensory-Friendly Santa program that gives those with sensory differences an opportunity to meet and speak with Santa outside of the over-stimulating environments, like malls and shopping centers, these events are typically held in.

“I can’t explain how rewarding it was seeing those families able to take a photo with their neurodivergent child,” Chanthachack told The Gardner News about the Sensory-Friendly Santa events. “Sometimes, this is the first or only time they are able to take a family photo. It’s so rewarding to be able to give this service to them.”

In addition to the new programs, BML has also made many of its existing programs more accessible for neurodivergent individuals and families.

Prior to launching the initiative, the library hosted a Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) club for teens. After two younger patrons with ASD expressed interest in joining this club, BML staff created a preteen D&D club and modify both programs to meet each group’s age, playing styles, and needs. The clubs now help neurodivergent youth acquire a variety of skills, including understanding social cues, peer cooperation, and learning how to accept consequences. 

“The social, communication, and imaginative skills that some struggle with, that barrier doesn’t appear in the game,” Alexis shares. “You can see the kids thrive in the fantasy world, and they are using what they learned in the game in the real world.”

The library also created sensory boxes full of tangle toys, stress balls, fidget snakes, sunglasses, and headphones. By making these boxes generally available, BML ensure that neurodivergent patrons can fully participate in all programs and events across the library.

Library collections were updated as part of the initiative, as well. Outdated books on autism were updated with newer texts that are positive and informative. For almost a year, Chanthachack researched the kinds of books they wanted to make available to patrons. The library’s new holdings are much more in line with the goal of fostering autism acceptance. The library also established guidelines and criteria for adding new books on autism.

A final component of the library’s work was staff training. To promote effective staff-patron interactions, BML brought in a preschool special education teacher and a speech pathologist who taught staff how to make the library’s existing programs more accessible to neurodivergent individuals. Staff learned that accommodations for people with ASD should include not just fidgets and noise-reducing headphones, but also adaptive books, breaks, and environmental changes such as flexible seating space for movement.

The library’s efforts have had numerous, wide-ranging impacts, both internally and externally. Staff say that the training they’ve received from the LTC grant has given them a new consciousness around neurodivergence—one they try to incorporate into all aspects of their work. In their meetings, staff now regularly discuss ways to better communicate with each other. As a result, their interactions have improved.

The community has also seen the impact of BML’s efforts.

“I can’t praise the library enough” one patron said, reflecting on how safe her son (a teenager with developmental disabilities) feels whenever inside the building.

Another parent said their neurodivergent children are excited to participate in library programs because they “get to be involved” and “get to be free.”

As a result of the work made available through ALA’s LTC grant, BML partnered with the Autism Alliance last year to become an Autism Welcoming and sensory responsive organization to better serve individuals with autism and their families and caregivers. The library is the first in the state to be certified as autism welcoming.

“The autism inclusion initiative … has become an integral part of how our library operates,” BML director Manuel King told Athol Daily News. “The library’s recent accreditation as the state’s first library to become a certified Autism Welcoming institution strengthens and expands our commitment to serving autistic, neurodivergent, and special needs individuals, and their caregivers.”