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Libraries and Autism: customer service training video to help library staff serve individuals with autism and their families more effectively - Part 1 of 2

The Scotch Plains Public Library (NJ) and the Fanwood Memorial Library (NJ) produced a customer service training video to help library staff serve individuals with autism and their families more effectively. The video focuses on what you need to know about autism spectrum disorder and empowers the viewer with specific techniques to offer more inclusive and comprehensive customer service when interacting with this growing and underserved population. Nationally, autism affects one in every 150 individuals, and in New Jersey, as many as one in ninety-four.

The video was created by the two libraries as a part of the "Welcoming Library Spaces for the Autism Community and Their Families" incubator project, which was made possible by a contract with Infolink: The Eastern New Jersey Regional Library Cooperative. The Cooperative and its services are funded by the New Jersey State Library, which is responsible for the coordination, promotion and funding of the New Jersey Library Network. This was one of six successful projects funded to meet the strategic need for libraries to provide services in proactive and creative ways to children and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. "We commend Infolink for choosing this important health topic for its pilot program," said Norma Blake, New Jersey State Librarian. "The project exemplifies the best work that libraries can do to help people - to be a valuable resource for parents and families, making their lives easier and better"

To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/librariesandautism/35436/