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You can make all components of your TD Summer Reading Club accessible and welcoming to families with kids with different disabilities. If you take an inclusive approach in all your planning, you will create a safe and fun environment—in person or virtually—for all kids to participate in your club’s activities.
TD Summer Reading Club – Accessibility : A video encouraging kids with print disabilities to participate in the program.
Did you know that 8 million Canadians : Canadians identify as having a disability? There is a wide range of disability types. You may be familiar with some, such as visual, hearing or mobility impairments or developmental disabilities, but there are also mental health-related, pain and cognitive disabilities. With these statistics and this information in mind, you can prepare your staff to interact with patrons in a respectful way. Here are some resources on how to talk about disabilities and how to interact with people with disabilities:
Identity-first vs. person-first language is an important distinction Disability Etiquette – A Starting GuideIn its role as your community’s hub for reading, learning and connecting with the services in the area, your library can support people with disabilities by removing barriers to information and by providing accessible spaces, both online and physically. Here are some ways you can make your library more accessible:
There are many resources about accessibility available online, but as library staff, you may wish to consult the comprehensive Accessible Libraries site featuring a curated collection of accessibility and training resources compiled by the Public Library Resource Centre.
Other resources include
Accessibility Checklist 101 for libraries Resources supporting kids and teens with disabilities Project ENABLE Is your public library accessible? Study Targeting Autism in Libraries (Project Enable)When it comes to reading, it can be easier for some people with disabilities to read in formats such as audiobooks, e-books or braille books rather than printed text. These disability types, called print disabilities , include learning, visual and physical disabilities where the person cannot hold or turn the pages of a book. Some readers find it helps to simultaneously look at the words and listen to them. This technique is especially helpful for kids with learning disabilities, for whom looking at the text will help improve reading skills and listening to the words at the same time will reinforce their comprehension of the text. By providing access to the Club’s titles in audio, e-text and braille formats, you are giving kids with print disabilities the opportunity to read the same books as their friends, in the format of their choice. Learn more about accessible reading formats .
Do audiobooks help develop literacy skills? According to the article “ Listen and learn: How audiobooks can support literacy development ” (Learning Partners), listening to audiobooks can benefit early readers, especially kids with learning disabilities or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), for whom decoding written text can be a barrier. This is why providing a robust audiobook collection through OverDrive or other e-audiobook and e-book providers, or through specialized services for patrons with print disabilities, such as the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) or the National Network of Equitable Library Service (NNELS) , will increase the number of titles available to your patrons.
Learn more about making reading accessible Audiobooks and literacy Accessible Books / Des livres accessibles (Bibliovideo)Staff activities: All the activity ideas include accessibility considerations so you can accommodate the different needs of your participants.
StoryWalk®: Each panel contains a QR code that someone can scan to listen to the text on the page. Also, place your StoryWalk® along an accessible path.
Get Your Summer Read On: Follow the tips in the article Making events accessible
Web comic: Listen to the audio transcript of the story.
Make sure kids with print disabilities know they have access to a broad selection of titles. Sometimes all it takes is changing the format so the person can read the same books as other Club participants. Someone with low vision may be able to read a regular-print book using a magnifier; someone with dyslexia may be able to read a regular e-book using a text-to-speech reader. You may also offer formats specifically designed for accessibility. These may include DAISY audio or text, braille, printbraille (picture books with braille) or decodable books for readers with reading disabilities. Learn more about making reading accessible.
You will find a selection of this year’s Recommended Reads titles in audiobook, e-text, braille and printbraille (picture books with braille) formats. Promote access to these books in different formats so kids can participate in reading activities, including the Battle of the Books. Your library may provide access to these books through the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) or the National Network of Equitable Library Service (NNELS) , or both. In Quebec, CELA service is offered through the Service québécois du livre adapté (SQLA) . Parents may call SQLA at 1-866-410-0844 to register their children with print disabilities. CELA member libraries may download or borrow copies of books to have something for children to check out on the spot. Learn how libraries can access books for their patrons using their CELA accounts.
The pre-school and school-age notebooks have been designed to be more inclusive by including larger font sizes and adding more white space to allow the reader to focus more easily on the content. Libraries will not receive separate accessible pre-school or school-age notebooks from CELA.
Families should visit the Accessibility page of the TD Summer Reading Club website to find electronic versions of the notebook in e-text, audio and braille.
Pre-reader adapted notebook, large print text (PDF)
Pre-reader adapted notebook, large print text (Quebec) (PDF)
Pre-reader adapted notebook, OpenDyslexic font (PDF)Pre-reader adapted notebook, OpenDyslexic font (Quebec) (PDF)
Pre-reader adapted notebook, braille (BRF)
Pre-reader adapted notebook, braille (Quebec) (BRF)
School-age adapted notebook, large-print text (PDF)
School-age adapted notebook, large-print text (Quebec) (PDF)
School-age adapted notebook, OpenDyslexic font (PDF)School-age adapted notebook, OpenDyslexic font (Quebec) (PDF)
School-age adapted notebook, braille (BRF)
School-age adapted notebook, braille (Quebec) (BRF)
Some kids may have trouble playing the “find the image” games if they are using only the audio or braille notebook files. Please encourage families to access the PDF files or provide a printed copy of the notebook to help kids enjoy these activities.
You can make your collections, programming and services inclusive to all families by taking an inclusive approach. When you consider the needs of all clients who visit your website or walk through your doors, you create a welcoming space for everyone.
Libraries will also have access to an information sheet to help staff make their TD Summer Reading Club accessible:
Make Sure Your TD Summer Reading Club is Accessible! (PDF) Make Sure Your TD Summer Reading Club is Accessible! (Quebec) (PDF)Here are some common accessibility guidelines:
Think about accessibility when you’re planning events, crafts, games and other activities and when you’re buying your supplies. A good guideline to help you get started is to remember the acronym “POD,” defined below.
Plan activities
Observe your audience
If so, ask the child, family member or caregiver how you can help.
Describe visual elements in books
For more information about print disabilities, CELA, and training opportunities available for public library staff, visit celalibrary.ca.
