The local library is an ideal place to visit for my daughter with disabilities. We usually head over there mid-week, after school and work, when we’re looking for a low-key activity to get us out of the house for a bit. There are plenty of interactive displays to play with, interesting materials to consume and friendly people to meet. It’s a very accessible, indoor space where we can stay warm in the winter or cool in the summer. It gives Caitlin the opportunity to practice her social skills and it’s a safe space for her to navigate around independently.
Our first stop is typically the front desk. The pleasant librarian is always willing to chat. It’s a good opportunity for Caitlin to practice having a conversation. Caitlin is good at breaking the ice with questions such as “what’s your name?” or “what is your job here?” A lot of times when Caitlin is speaking to someone, they will look at me to translate because they don’t understand her. But on one of our visits, the librarian caught on to most of her words. This was so awesome and validated for me that her speech is getting better!
On another visit, Caitlin was having trouble remembering where the book return was located which prompted a stop at the front desk to ask. After a few minutes of chatting, the librarian was very happy to direct Caitlin to the book return. The book return is a conveyor belt system which makes it a fun, interactive experience for her. I helped place her large stack of books on the table conveniently located in front of the belt. She was then able to feed the books onto the belt all by herself. She enjoys putting the books on the belt and watching them quietly disappear into the slot in the wall.
In the lobby of the library is a Gechron. What is a Gechron you ask? Basically, it’s an electronic world clock that sections off the entire earth into different time zones. It also shows which areas of the earth have night or day. We took a quick look to see what time it is in the Philippines where my parents spend part of the year. Of course, because it’s on the other side of the globe it is morning there when it is evening for us! We spend a little more time locating spots on the map where we would like to travel or where other family and friends are from.
In the middle of the library set up on a high-top table is the community jig-saw puzzle. We don’t have much patience to work on it, but we give it a try! It’s usually a 1000 pieces plus and the pieces are small. Other patrons are nice enough to organize the pieces by color to try and make it a little easier. So sometimes we find a piece that is quick and easy. On this visit, the puzzle was almost complete and I happened to find a piece that fit.
One of my personal favorites at our library are these shadow boxes that are built into the floor. The boxes are filled with an interesting collection of items with each box having a different theme. I think it’s such a creative way to display items instead of a typical display cabinet against a wall.
During one visit, I wanted to look for an article in the local newspaper. While I was searching for the article, Caitlin wandered off down one of the aisles of books. I started to follow her like I usually do. She glanced over her shoulder with her eyes pointed to me as if to say “stop following me!” I’ve seen this look before and it means that she wants to do this by herself. Sometimes she’ll even say “Mom you stay over here and I’ll go over there”! Under most circumstances, I wouldn’t let her walk off by herself. But since the library wasn’t very busy and it is a contained area, I let her walk around while I went back to look for the article. The area is not that large and I could pretty much see her the whole time from where I was sitting. Occasionally she would look over her shoulder to check if I was following her. I could tell by the slight smile on her face that she was enjoying the moment of being on her own. At the end of an aisle she came upon a computer and stopped to press some buttons on the keyboard. Then she wandered over to a desk where another librarian was stationed and struck up a conversation. I decided to join her over there and just as I walked up, the librarian asked what kind of books she was looking for. And of course she said her favorite thing…Cats!
We generally select books in the children’s area near the end of our visit. Strolling the aisles browsing titles and covers, we stop when something interesting catches our attention. I’ll read the title as Caitlin inspects the picture on the front cover. If it looks good and sounds good then we hang on to it. She gets excited when we come across books that she recognizes from TV or YouTube shows. She can read simple sentences and I like to pick out some beginner reading books. And because she is visually impaired I also search for books with larger print. We go up and down each aisle until we end up with a huge stack of books (a few of them are about cats, of course)
The children’s area at our library is an interactive experience. Activities and displays occupy every nook and cranny. There are fun things to open, close, twist and turn. What a good way to exercise fine motor skills and engage the senses. This is also the area where we read to the PAWS Therapy Dogs.
Caitlin’s favorite part of the visit is checking out the books! She just loves the self-checkout stations not only at the library but at any retail store that has them. The self-checkout process is very easy at the library. All you do is scan your card and then put your books on the mat and it is automatically scanned. Caitlin has her own library card. I think it adds to her sense of independence to check out with her own card. Of course she chose the design with…cats!
I didn’t know until recently that the library is also a resource to rent all kinds of equipment. I’ve seen many unexpected items such as tools, speakers and even trail-cams. I like taking a look at what’s available because there’s a good chance it sparks an idea for a new hobby to try. But between working a full-time job and being a caregiver I actually don’t have much spare time for hobbies! But in a previous visit we checked out a bird watching kit and it was fun and didn’t take up much time. Today I saw a ukulele and a backyard explorer kit, how cool is that?!
Before going home we take a few minutes to play with the outside instruments. Bongos, chimes and a xylophone just to name a few. Caitlin still had a little streak of independence on this visit and suggested that while she banged on the drums, I go somewhere “over there”. For me this meant striking up a tune on the xylophone which was a short distance away from her. It felt good to release some energy and to make some noise!
That wraps up the major highlights from a typical visit to the library. I hope you’re inspired to pay a visit to your local library soon!
JoAnn’s journey as a parent and caregiver to an individual with disabilities started when her daughter was born pre-maturely with multiple health issues resulting in cognitive, physical and speech disabilities. Over the years, JoAnn discovered that recreation, travel and social experiences can bring happiness and relief to a life that is often stressful and frustrating. She loves to seek out adaptive, accessible and fun activities for her daughter and the whole family to enjoy. She started the blog www.OurSpecialFunOasis.com to share her uplifting stories and positive ideas to help and to inspire others.