Learning can look different for students with ADHD, autism (ASD) or other mental health diagnoses, and studying may require a bit more support. To accommodate these students, Otterbein's library has implemented two study rooms with sensory-friendly study tools.
In fall 2023, the Courtright Memorial Library submitted a request of $30,228 in grant funding, to be matched with $10,076.15 of local funds, in order to optimize study spaces on the second floor according to students' needs.
In their proposal, they expressed that, “Of 274 students currently registered with Otterbein’s Academic Support Center, 113 have ADHD, 28 have ASD, and 136 have mental health diagnoses. Some students are duplicated in those statistics (if they have more than one of the three diagnoses listed).”
Prior to the proposal's acceptance, library staff used a whiteboard to ask for students' input. One of the questions that the library staff asked was, “What sensory items would you want in the library? (ex. Fidget toys, lights, noise machines)” Answers included various requests, such as white noise or rain sounds, warmer lights, a lamp that slowly cycles through colors, noise canceling headphones, Rubik's Cubes and over a dozen distinct fidget toys offering different sensory experiences.
With the numbers provided by the ASC and student responses on the whiteboard, it became clear that the sensory rooms were something that Otterbein students could benefit from. Casey Mazzoli, public services librarian at Otterbein, spearheaded the project and wrote the proposal. The proposal was accepted and the library was granted the exact dollar amount requested.
In addition to the building of these rooms, some of the funding was allocated to filling these rooms with sensory items.
“I was excited that we got to go beyond the structure of the room and we were able to fill it. One of the big things was comfy seating," Mazzioli said. Some comfy seating available in the sensory rooms are bean bag chairs, seat toppers and rocking stools.
The rooms also have various items that increase stimulation.
“They're also equipped with a noise machine and color changing lamp, so that's for if people don't want to reduce sensory stuff, but like enjoy having something to watch and need more stimulation,” Mazzoli said.
Since the beginning of the fall 2024 semester when the sensory rooms became available for use, Mazzoli says that there has been significant student use.
“Just from walking by, most often someone is in at least one of the rooms," Mazzoli said. "They've seemed to be getting pretty high usage. And we're going to be taking more regular counts of them as we go forward.”
Kausi Sharma, a first-year accounting and finance major, said that the sensory rooms help her focus better on her work.
“Oftentimes I might like get distracted from my work because I'm looking at other people who are like walking by but being here it helps like eliminate that and then say focused on the work," Sharma said.
The library is running a survey to collect feedback on the sensory rooms. In addition to the new sensory rooms, extra funding went towards updating existing study rooms with new whiteboards, TVs, noise machines and calming wall art.
The Courtright Memorial Library's study rooms project was supported in part by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services funds, granted through the State Library of Ohio. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of IMLS or the State Library of Ohio, and no official endorsement by either agency should be inferred.
