Carrie Scott Banks – författare

Roman philosopher Cicero once remarked that “if you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” Today, libraries nationwide are beginning to incorporate gardens into their public services. Libraries in the southwestern US, for instance, are creating drought-tolerant gardens as neighborhood demonstration projects, while elsewhere gardens are being used to promote community engagement and even STEM learning. Citing examples of library gardens around the world that are thriving, this first-ever book on the subject not only demonstrates the many benefits of library gardens but also provides a complete overview of issues applicable to all library types and geographical environments. Featuring a full-color photo insert showcasing several beautiful library gardens, among the topics covered in the book area brief history of libraries and gardens, with an overview of such “demonstration gardens” as medicinal and herbal gardens, native plant gardens, xeriscapes, and gardens as wildlife sanctuaries;the use of plants, such as living walls and rooftop gardens, to create ecologically healthy, sustainable environments;gardens as learning environments and spaces for storytimes and active play;food gardens, seed libraries, sensory gardens, outdoor reading areas, prison garden programs, and many other ways that libraries can engage communities;guidance on designing for inclusivity, planning, funding, staffing, recruiting volunteers, and planting and maintenance, complete with advice on determining the best plants to cultivate; andideas on evaluating the effectiveness of library gardens and the program opportunities they offer.Readers will not only be inspired to create and nurture their own library gardens and programs, they will receive practical advice on how to proceed and sustain them.

Programming staff, library administrators, and LIS instructors will find this an easy-to-read handbook for understanding the needs of adults with developmental disabilities and the principles that undergird the best practices the authors describe.Public libraries everywhere have embraced inclusion and expanded their programming for youth with disabilities, especially autism. It's imperative that libraries also offer rich and age-appropriate initiatives for adults with developmental disabilities; after all, as youth now served by their libraries grow up and reach adulthood, they will continue to want and expect libraries to be responsive to their needs. Klipper and Banks, two librarians with a long-standing focus on inclusivity, combine research-based theory and an introduction to best practices with details on how to replicate field-tested programs for adults with developmental disabilities (DD). Readers willlearn key ideas about DD, such as an examination and debunking of commonly held stereotypes and misconceptions about people with DD and the role ableism plays in perpetuating them; be introduced to self-advocates and their ways of viewing DD, including terminology and the Neurodiversity movement;get pointers on how to create a culture of inclusion at the library, with discussions of Universal Design and UDL, staff training, and anticipating the unexpected;explore the needs of adults with DD who are also LGBTQA , people of color, immigrants and English language learners, seniors, those with dual diagnoses, and other aspects of intersectionality in library programming; understand how to build on and modify existing children's and YA practice to ensure that library users with DD receive age-appropriate and respectful library service;learn how to make virtual programming accessible and which programs can be successfully brought online;discover a myriad of programs ready to adapt for their own libraries, such as Sensory Storytime for adults, book clubs, arts and crafts programs, adaptive gaming, job skills workshops, cooking programs, and many more;see how programming for adults with DD works in academic libraries; andgain skills for outreach and keeping current, with guidance on forming and strengthening partnerships, advocacy, fundraising, marketing, and additional resources for deepening knowledge of DD.