Dementia Inclusive Library Service

Living well with a dementia diagnosis is possible. With the rate of diagnoses increasing dramatically across the country, reducing stigma, addressing myth and misinformation, and supporting individual purpose and ongoing participation is the work of all of us. The public library, a community gathering and learning place that serves people at all stages of life, can play a vital role in this effort by understanding better what dementia is (and what it isn’t) and how flexible, responsive strategies for communication and service can ensure an abundant life for all.

The Dementia Inclusive Public Library Guide, a new, free resource from the Ohio Council for Cognitive Health, provides a roadmap for public libraries to lead, and to unite with, community allies in the reshaping of the dementia narrative. Written for public libraries of all staff and facility sizes, financial capacities, and community contexts, the Guide provides practical tools for everything from staff development to resource-building (including the Guide’s unique Memory Activity Kits) to environmental considerations to volunteer recruitment. In this webinar, learn how the Guide can help you and your library be a social action catalyst for this critically important change.

Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Navigate the free and comprehensive Dementia Inclusive Public Library Guide and use its ready-to-implement resources to grow dementia-inclusive practices in their libraries;
• Facilitate staff development (including Dementia Friends training) and build staff enthusiasm for dementia-inclusive service; 
• Identify potential allies for ongoing support and growth of their libraries’ dementia-inclusive initiatives as a catalyst for dementia-inclusive communities; 
• Craft next steps that are a “right fit” for the staffing, budget, and environmental capacities of their libraries; and
• Share with customers and community members the impact of dementia on brain health, memory, and cognitive processing, and the public library’s commitment to continuing to engage those living with a dementia diagnosis and their care partners.

Who Should Attend: All library staff will gain important public service strategies through their participation in this webinar. Those in administrative/supervisory roles will be better prepared to broaden and deepen their libraries’ inclusion efforts through staff and resource development and community allyships.

Presenters:

Barbara White, MLS, recently retired after thirty-one years of service (early childhood services, adult services, and library administration) with the Akron-Summit County Public Library (ASCPL) in Ohio, where she spearheaded and implemented many of that mid-size metro’s equity efforts—including ASCPL’s sensory-inclusive and dementia-inclusive initiatives. Barb continues her commitment to dementia-inclusive communities as a Dementia Friends Champion, founding member and co-lead of Dementia Friendly Summit County (OH), and Education and Programming Committee chair with Dementia Action Alliance. Barb also serves on the Board of Directors of the Autism Society of Greater Akron and continues to speak and write on issues of equity and inclusion.

Bonnie K. Burman, ScD, is the president of The Ohio Council for Cognitive Health. The Council’s goal is to ensure that those impacted by cognitive impairment continue to live with as much meaning, purpose, and joy even as their abilities change. As the state lead for both Dementia Friendly Ohio and Dementia Friends Ohio, Bonnie assists communities around the state as they pledge to provide supportive options that foster quality of life for those living with dementia and their families. Previously, she served as director of the Ohio Department of Aging, and earlier in her career she was the executive director of the Pioneer Network. She received her ScD in Heath Policy and Management from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

**NOTE**: Access information for this learning event will be sent to all registrants by American Library Association before the start of the event. In order to take this course/attend this webinar you will need to create (or use an existing) ALA account to proceed. It is free to create an account and you do not need to be an ALA member. If you do not wish to create an ALA account please cancel your registration.

CALL Training Partner for this Event: American Library Association