WINCHENDON – The Beals Memorial Library has partnered with the Autism Alliance to become an Autism Welcoming and sensory responsive organization, to better serve individuals with autism and their families and caregivers.

This makes the Beals Memorial Library the first in the state to be certified as autism welcoming.

After completing this certification, Library Director Manuel King commented, “The autism inclusion initiative, Seeing Beyond the Spectrum, developed and spearheaded by the Beals Memorial Library’s Assistant Director, Alexis Chanthachack, has become an integral part of how our library operates. 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.”

Other members of the community also responded to the news.

“My family is so grateful to the Beals Memorial Library. My grandson, as well as some of my foster children, have ASD and are not always able to attend activities in our community. Since the library started sensory friendly programs, my kiddos can not only go to activities, they can also use the library like any other patron,” said patron Amy Simmers-Swanson.

Trustee and parent Suzanne Rader also commented, “I’ve been attending the Walking Beside You Support Group since it began. My son was diagnosed as being on the spectrum as a teenager and at that time there wasn’t any support groups in our area, just Worcester or beyond. I have become a better parent and an empathetic community member since being a part of the Beals Library’s See Beyond the Spectrum.”

Autism Alliance trained the Beals Memorial Library’s staff to provide accommodations that allow people with autism and their families to have an inclusive and positive experience when visiting.

Some of the accommodations the Beals Library offers guests with autism include sensory-friendly browsing hours once a month, sensory-friendly programming as well as accommodations to help make other programs more comfortable for individuals on the spectrum, and sensory items that autistic and neurodivergent patrons may use or borrow through Sensory To-Go Bags.

Additionally, library staff have participated in additional training as part of the library’s ongoing efforts to become autism welcoming, including an American Sign Language workshop taught by Catherine Brown, and a Ways to Support Language and Learning training, presented by local special education teacher Jessica Marquis and speech-language pathologist Katie Pulnik. For more information, visit the library’s website at bealslibrary.org/autism.

This was part of the See Beyond the Spectrum initiative and made possible by funds provided by Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL).