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Also, I have SO many people to thank for their help and encouragement on starting this program!
Thanks so much to:
Renee Grassi -- for doing SO many great things for Special Needs children, programming, and Sensory Storytime. Renee has really been a mentor to me for these programs, especially because I'm currently at the library where she really pioneered Sensory Storytime/Special Needs programming and she received an awesome Target grant that helped us to buy different materials that are specifically geared towards Sensory Storytime. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk and tweet with me about Sensory Storytime, giving me ideas and encouragement, and letting me shadow a Sensory Storytime at GEPL! Renee is also a facilitator of the SNAILS (Special Needs and Inclusive Library Services) group -- so check that out!
Also, if you haven't yet, please look at all of the articles that Renee has written about Special Needs Programming! Here are some links:
- Serving Children with Disabilities in Libraries: A Beginner’s Guide
- Targeting Autism: Serving Library Patrons on the Spectrum
- No one came to your Sensory Storytime. Now what?
- Mind Your Manners: Teaching Life Skills in the Library
Katy Almendinger -- for letting me shadow your Sensory Storytime at GEPL and for making me feel so much better about what I was offering! Katy is always willing to talk programs and ideas through, and I so appreciate that!
Yvette Curtis -- for letting me shadow your Sensory Storytime at Tinley Park Public Library. It was a great time and it showed me a lot of new and different options for sensory play!
My manager and coworkers -- for listening to my ideas and for always knowing that I can do anything I put my mind to! I am such a lucky lady to be working with such amazing people.