A Collage of Sensory Projects at Our Libraries by Brett Spencer

2025-05-30 15:53:09 UTC

The Oregon State University Valley Library has a Sensory Kit and Mini Mind Spa Kit in our Library of Things collection that check out for a week. These were developed with the university's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). We also partner with CAPS for Calm Week which we started this year.

Bubbles!

2025-05-31 12:43:39 UTC

I'm at a public library. We're about to install this wall-mounted bubble feature. I can't wait. It's going to be easily visible from the service desk so I'll benefit from watching calm, happy bubbles too! Practicality-wise, I can share that this company was great to work with. Price is good, shipping is flat fee, and the unit arrived very quickly. Link to Purchase

2025-06-01 16:09:44 UTC

Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County installed a sensory room two years ago, with the help of an LSTA grant and local funding. See link for more details.

Sensory Room on campus

2025-06-02 14:53:03 UTC

The University of Southern Maine's Lewiston-Auburn campus has a sensory room that is administered by our occupational therapy department, rather than the library. Since we're in the same building, though, we can direct people to the space. It includes such cool items as the jellyfish lamp in the photo.

Library Livingroom at USM LAC

2025-06-02 15:08:08 UTC

The University of Southern Maine's Lewiston-Auburn Campus (USM LAC) library has a Library Livingroom with a variety of de-stressor items. The most popular are the jigsaw puzzles (shown). Also in the photo is a genuine 1970s blue lava lamp.

Sensory Museum

2025-06-02 17:34:27 UTC

The Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library launched its Sensory Museum program in 2023 to support teens and adults with disabilities. While it started modestly, the program has grown significantly and is now held quarterly. Initially, the museum featured sensory stations with materials like rice, beans, kinetic sand, and a quiet tent for calming breaks. Over time, the program has evolved to include more engaging and interactive elements, most notably the addition of a Tovertafel table—purchased through grant funding—which has become a favorite among participants of all ages. The Tovertafel offers interactive games designed for both seniors with dementia and youth with intellectual disabilities. Its customizable features allow for varying levels of stimulation and skill development, making it an inclusive tool for sensory engagement.

Univ. of Connecticut Library

2025-06-02 19:04:17 UTC

We're in the process of getting our first Sensory Friendly/Flexible Room planned and hope to eventually create the same for all of our regional campus libraries (eventually).

MindSpa and Sensory Friendly Study Rooms at Syracuse University

2025-06-02 19:05:50 UTC

We have two different initiatives in our main branch, Bird Library! We have two Massage Chair Rooms as part of our Bird Library MindSpa (which are extremely popular), and we have converted 10 of our individual study rooms into Sensory Friendly Rooms! They are not as pleasing to look at (we're working on that), but those include dimmable/color lamps, fidget toys, and sensory texture discs!

We also have a lot of wellness items to check out at our Check Out Desk (meditation kits, coloring book kits, light therapy lamps, heated massage pillows, and Zen artist boards)!

Neurodivergent Student Support

2025-06-02 19:08:40 UTC

This article includes some pics of our sensory friendly rooms, but we also have extra fidgets and weighted blankets throughout the building. An alum has recently offered to make fabric art for each room!

Sensory / Wellness Rooms at Valparaiso University

2025-06-02 19:08:51 UTC

At VU we started by adding wellness and sensory rooms to each floor of the library (4 floors), each fitting the ethos of each floor- i.e. the first floor is a "play area"- legos, sensory tiles, board games, second floor is the relaxation room, hammock chair, moon pods, soft lighting, sound machines, fluorescent light covers, zen gardens and the 3rd and 4th floor have access to Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) Connect and all rooms have fidgets. Due to the popularity of the rooms, we added two additional rooms on the 3rd and 4th floor with eggs chairs, soft lighting, soft seating, etc.

With even more requests, we started adding small elements to all of our study rooms!

University of British Columbia

2025-06-02 19:10:28 UTC

We do not have any sensory-specific space in the library (although I would love for us to have one!), but folks did develop a guide to using one of the library's on campus for neurodivergent students, which has information about space expectations (eg. where in the library is quiet? what are the lighting levels?).

Travelling Sensory Support Kit

2025-06-02 19:14:27 UTC

My library (part of Santa Clara County Library District in California) has been closed for the last 4 years for renovations, so I made a travelling Sensory Support kit that could come with us to programs and outreach. It contains ear defenders, fidgets, wiggle seating, communication cars, weighted items, and tools for emotional regulation.

Programs for ND adults, Norwood MA

2025-06-03 18:36:42 UTC

Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood MA (we are a public library) hosts sensory-friendly art classes, Lego Clubs, monthly movies and tech classes for ND adults with IDD. We do not have a separate sensory room set up, but we do have fidget toys, weighted blankets if anyone needs them.