Puskarich Library planning sensory room to expand services

The Puskarich Library in Cadiz is exploring a new way to serve patrons by creating a sensory room. Sensory play involves activities that stimulate the five senses and can help develop processing skills. It is often used in therapy for both children and adults.

“We’re in the process of planning and getting ideas for the space,” Assistant Director Susan Guthrie said. “We would have a lot of different sensory toys and bubble tubes. It would be a separate room. It would be open to the public but probably be scheduled for use for the most part. That way people can have time there. It would be open to anyone.”

The room would include a variety of toys, ranging from quiet options to those that produce sound. Guthrie said the goal is to offer as many choices as possible to meet a wide range of needs.

To fund the project, Guthrie is applying for the American Library Association’s Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small Rural Communities grant program, which the library has received before. “We do a lot of programming for adults with disabilities,” she said. “That’s what we wrote it for. This is the fourth year they’ve offered it.”

The grant awards range from $10,000 to $20,000. The library has received $10,000 in each of the last two years for disability-focused programming. “We do painting classes. I love the YouTube paint tutorials, and in November we painted turkeys from a tutorial. We did a New Year party last year. We’ve done pottery classes. We’ve held a photography class. With the theater downstairs, we do movies a lot,” Guthrie said.

Still in the idea phase, Guthrie does not yet have a total cost estimate for the sensory room but is pursuing additional funding. “We have some other grants that we’ve applied for and will apply for to help with the sensory space,” she said.

For more information on programming for adults and children, visit harrison.lib.oh.us or call the library at 740-942-2623.