The Highland Park Public Library will strive to increase autism awareness in its community by engaging in cooperative projects with the contract libraries.

Goals and Objectives

• To train staff to interact with those with autism to better serve their informational needs.
• To provide resources that appeal to those with autism and develop a core collection to increase autism awareness and education in general.
• Provide programming that will draw in those with autism and also involve them in the larger community.
• Cooperate with contract libraries to pool ideas and resources on autism.

Contract Funding

• Provide a training session for library staff and borough workers on methods of communicating with people with autism in order to provide the best possible service to this wide spectrum.
• Purchase DVDs for children with autism to promote speech and language skills.
• Hire performers and provide programs that appeal to children with autism and their caretakers.
• Identity resources within the community that will be better able to serve caretakers and their charges.

Updates

• The library has purchased the following DVDs for children with autism:

          Baby Babble (3-30 mos), Baby Babble (6-36 mos.), Bee Smart Baby Vocabulary Builder (v.3,4,5),           Spectrum Connections Connecting Through Music (Connecting Emotions).  All are recommended by           parents who have children with autism to promote language skills.

• Jeff Cohen, the author of The Asperger Parent:  How to Raise a Child with Asperger Syndrome and Maintain Your Sense of Humor and Guns a Blazing: How Parents of Children on the Autism Spectrum and Schools Can Work Together Without a Shot Being Fired is scheduled to speak at the library on Monday, June 1, 7:30 p.m.

April 8, 2009

• Spook Handy will be performing at the Highland Park Public Library on April 26, 2-3 p.m.
• Geoff Goyette from the Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dog organization and his dog Belle will be coming on Tuesday evenings beginning May 7.  Children will be scheduled to read to Belle. 
• The staff of the Highland Park Library will attend autism awareness training with the police at the firehouse.

          There will be two sessions in April on April 20, 27.  This is a police organized event.

          The police have set up a program with POAC (Parents of Autistic Children) organization.