In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly designated April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day as a means to affirm and promote the realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for autistic people. Thanks to autistic advocates and activists, awareness and appreciation for neurodivergent people is progressing. As part of the Let’s Learn Together initiative at Wilmette Public Library, we will be taking an in-depth look at neurodiversity as our 2025 topic. Join us as we expand our mindset, celebrate, and elevate our neurodiverse community with programs and resources for every level.
At Wilmette Public Library, we are working to make the library experience joyful for everyone. This means addressing physical and social barriers and providing meaningful ways to participate and connect. Sensory tools and social stories are readily available, and we’re using visual schedules in our early childhood programs and beyond. In addition to these tools, we also celebrate deep interests through programs and a wide collection of books about characters and specific topics. Our programs are designed to appeal to diverse sensory preferences and motor skills, and we value construction and deconstruction equally.
Magnificent Minds, presented by speech language pathologists from Kick Start Therapy Network, is a great opportunity for parents and children to learn more about neurodiversity while enjoying storytime and collaborative crafts. During storytime, your child will enjoy an interactive and engaging environment tailored to support communication development. Afterward, the SLPs will be available to answer your questions about speech services and how they can help your child's unique needs. This is a welcoming space to connect with other families, learn about speech and language strategies, and explore ways to support your child’s growth in communication.
Join us on Friday, April 25 for speech and language pathologist Stephanie Boron’s mindset shifting presentation All Brains are Beautiful. Whether you're supporting your own child or curious to learn more about our neurodiverse community, this workshop is for you. Learn communication and regulation strategies to support your child's unique brain and affirm how they see the world.