Delmont library receives $20,000 grant to expand autism services
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Delmont Public Library officials will lead a community conversation about autism, and the feedback they receive will be used in conjunction with a $20,000 grant to provide resources and programs for those affected.
“This grant requires you to talk with members of the community you’re looking to serve, about what they want and need from the library,” said Delmont Public Library Director Monica Smodic.
The money comes from an American Library Association’s Transforming Communities grant, one of 240 recently awarded nationwide, and it is specifically directed toward smaller, rural libraries.
“One thing that’s really nice is there is a lot of flexibility built into it,” Smodic said. “If the original plan turns out to not be what we need, we have the ability to pivot to something different.”
Partnerships with local social-service organizations like East Suburban Citizen Advocacy and Inclusive Connections and feedback from those organizations will help determine the grant’s ultimate use.
“ESCA was one of our original partners for the grant along with Inclusive and they’re going to hook us up with some families in addition to the contacts we have,” Smodic said.
Library staff is excited to have the ability to not just alter existing programs to better accommodate those with autism, but also to create new programs based on the feedback they receive.
“The grant could be used to host a parenting class for kids recently diagnosed with autism, or a support group. It may be that what families want is a sensory room or a sensory garden,” Smodic said. “I was looking at training our staff on incorporating that group into our programs, but maybe that’s not something they want. That’s why the conversation and the flexibility is so important. With a lot of grants, you’re locked into one specific thing and if it doesn’t work, that’s it.”
The grant period runs through June 2024. Smodic said the community conversation component must be completed by November.
Smodic said she’s looking forward to making the library a more welcoming and inclusive place.
“We’ve had a number of kids on the spectrum who’ve attended programs and had some difficulty or gotten overwhelmed,” she said. “We wanted to find some ways to try and do better.”
Families interested in being part of the “community conversation” can call the library at 724-468-5329 or visit DelmontLibrary.org.