BCPL has developed programs for community members of differing abilities with offerings geared towards babies, preschoolers, teens and adults, so two gaps in service were identified: elementary age children and limited engagement outside of programs. We closed these gaps by creating a welcoming space for elementary age kids of differing abilities with continuously available, age-appropriate sensory activities. We were uniquely positioned for this project due to our proximity to Angel Park, an inclusive playground.

While our branches have activity centers which encourage learning through play, this was the first sensory-friendly activity space created at BCPL. Sensory spaces are new to libraries nationwide, as evidenced by the number of inquiries we fielded for information about our sensory space from other libraries. Integrating this sensory space into the existing children’s area required tremendous collaboration between several BCPL departments, community stakeholders and the branch team to bring this project to fruition.

Although the target audience was elementary aged children of differing abilities, a wider range of users than expected was observed enjoying the space. The main measure of success was feedback indicating that the space had a positive impact on families with children of differing abilities. Survey responses were overwhelmingly positive, with over 90% of respondents agreeing that the space made them feel more welcome at the library, and over 4,400 visitors to the space were recorded in the six months since its dedication.