Come check out the new Sensory Friendly Space in the Tioga Library Building! Open during Fall Term Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-4 pm on the first floor in room 115. The room includes:

• Fluorescent light covers
• Noise-reduction headphones
• Weighted lap blankets
• Dimmable desk lamps
• Fidget manipulatives/toys
• Floor cushions
• Bean bag
• Wobble chair
• Yoga ball chair
• Noise Machine

This room was developed as a way to address the barriers faced by our neurodivergent students and to create a genuine space of joy, respite, and belonging for all students. In recent years, several universities have created sensory-friendly study rooms not just to address the barriers neurodivergent students face, but to create spaces of emotional and physical comfort for students feeling overwhelmed. An incomplete list of university libraries that have created such spaces includes The University of Cincinnati Clermont College, East Carolina University, Pennsylvania State University, Susquehanna University, West Chester University, and New York University. Inspiration and wisdom have been drawn from these different sensory-friendly rooms to inform the creation of TLB’s space.

The project of this room is  rooted in the mission of University of Washington Tacoma Library, “to help our students, faculty, and staff achieve their goals.” Due to systematic barriers and additional challenges, these goals may be harder to achieve for individuals who identify as neurodivergent. As an institution, we have the opportunity to combat systemic discrimination by providing intentional resources, like sensory-friendly rooms, that reflect the needs of our diverse campus community. 

Neurodivergent students include students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other neurological or developmental conditions (Miller, 2023). Due to improvements in diagnosis, awareness, and support, there is a growing number of neurodivergent students on college campuses, including at UW Tacoma (Dwyer et al, 2023). In 2022, 2.2 % of incoming college students identified themselves as autistic and 13.2% reported having ADHD (HERI at UCLA, 2022). These statistics don’t include students who are undiagnosed, self-diagnosed, or choose not to disclose. 

Several recent studies have examined some of the barriers that neurodivergent students, in particular students with autism, experience in their university libraries. A recent study by Anderson (2018) examined how students with ASD describe their experiences in academic libraries in a qualitative analysis of posts on Wrong Planet discussion board threads (Wrong Planet is an online community for individuals with ASD). The study found that students with ASD often view the library as a safe space and an escape due to it being quiet and structured. However, students still often find the library sensorily overwhelming at times due to elements such as noise, light, confusing rules, and unexpected social interactions. Students discussed having a more positive sensory experience in study carrels or private study rooms where they have more control over their environment.

In response to these barriers, some university libraries have conducted informed studies to examine the needs of students with ASD or other neurodivergence and provide intentional resources and solutions. Susquehanna University oversaw a focus group and found that neurodivergent students found it difficult to focus in the library due to lighting, windows, uncomfortable desks, and other factors. They utilized this information to create a sensory-friendly room in their library (Boyer and El-Chidiac, 2023). Similarly, West Chester University Libraries conducted a case study on the creation of a study room for students with ASD. The space was created on the basis that library spaces can be confusing to navigate and offer sensory processing challenges. Additionally, a separate study space allows students with ASD to use the library without the stress of navigating neurotypical expectations and provides them control in their interaction with peers (Walton and McMullin, 2021). It is the hope of this project to follow the example set by these universities and use this research to thoughtfully inform the installation and use of a sensory-friendly space at UW Tacoma Library.

We hope to see you there!

References

   Anderson, A. (2018). Autism and the Academic Library: A Study of Online Communication. College & Research Libraries, 79(5), 645–658. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.79.5.645

   Anderson, A. (2021). From mutual awareness to collaboration: Academic libraries and autism support programs. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 53(1), 103–115. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000620918628

  Boyer, A., & El-Chidiac, A. (2023). Come Chill Out at the Library: Creating Soothing Spaces for Neurodiverse Students. Journal of New Librarianship, 8(1), 41–47. https://doi.org/10.33011/newlibs/13/5

  Chalifoux, A. (2023, October 25). UC Clermont celebrates new cutting-edge spaces: Sensory room first of its kind in nation. UC News. https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2023/10/uc-clermont-celebrates-new-cutting-edge-spaces–sensory-room-first-of-its-kind-in-nation.html

  Cox, A. M. (2019). Learning bodies: Sensory experience in the information commons. Library & Information Science Research, 41(1), 58–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2019.02.002

  East Carolina University. (n.d.). Joyner Library Sensory Room. ECU Libraries. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from https://rooms.lib.ecu.edu/joyner/sensory-room

  Eng, A. (2017, July 17). Neurodiversity in the Library: One Librarian’s Experience. In the Library with the Lead Pipe. https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2017/neurodiversity-in-the-library/

   Higher Education Research Institute. (2023). 2022 CIRP Freshman Survey All Respondents.

   Madriaga, M. (2010). ‘I avoid pubs and the student union like the plague’: Students with Asperger Syndrome and their negotiation of university spaces. Children’s Geographies, 8(1), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733280903500166

  McGlone, P. (2023, October 30). NYU Libraries Opens Low-sensory Room for Neurodiverse Students and Others Who Benefit From a Calming Environment. NYU News. http://www.nyu.edu/content/nyu/en/about/news-publications/news/2023/october/N-38

   Miller, C. (2023). What Is Neurodiversity? And how can parents support kids who are neurodivergent? Child Mind Institute. https://childmind.org/article/what-is-neurodiversity/

   Mostafa, M. (2008). An Architecture for Autism: Concepts of Design Intervention for the Autistic User. ArchNet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, 2(1), 189–211.

Pen State University. (2023, October 27). Libraries piloting sensory rooms as supportive spaces for neurodiverse students. Penn State. https://www.psu.edu/news/university-libraries/story/libraries-piloting-sensory-rooms-supportive-spaces-neurodiverse-students/

  Petcu, S. D., Zhang, D., & Li, Y.-F. (2021). Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their First-Year College Experiences. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(22), 11822. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182211822

  Pionke, J. J., Knight-Davis, S., & Brantley, J. S. (2019). Library involvement in an autism support program: A case study. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 26(3), 221–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/10691316.2019.1668896

   Potter, A. (2023). Neurodiversity and Accessibility. Alki, 39(1). https://alki.pubpub.org/pub/1vucai29/release/1

  Walton, K., & McMullin, R. (2021). Welcoming autistic students to academic libraries through innovative space utilization. Pennsylvania Libraries: Research & Practice, 9(2), 83–100. https://doi.org/10.5195/palrap.2021.259