Illinois State Library

Illinois State Library will purchase "Spectra Kits" that contain technologies that help library staff interact with and provide services to patrons who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The kits will be available for in-library use and will be circulated to nearly 4,000 Illinois libraries of all types. This project will give patrons with ASD the ability to experiment with assistive technology in the library setting, ultimately placing the library as provider. The project will be made up of various kits containing different innovative technologies and various social robots like the Jibo or Aisoy, along with iPads with ASD related apps. A series of in-depth webinars will be provided to Illinois librarians to demonstrate how to use the kits with individuals impacted by ASD and will also demonstrate the effectiveness of these technologies in creating inclusive environments for their communities.