This award will allow us to purchase materials and books to support and engage the social emotional wellness and literacy of our young patrons and their families. A collection of picture books will be purchased that support social-emotional development, teach empathy and skills to cope with life’s challenges, as well as picture books that specifically represent children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, dyslexia, anxiety, grief and other mental health disorders.

Providence Community Library (PCL) is composed of nine neighborhood libraries. Three of these are larger libraries that serve an entire region of the city, and the six additional libraries serve their immediate neighborhoods. Each of the nine libraries will receive an assortment of picture books in English and Spanish to begin or supplement their existing collections. These titles will accompany Sensory Friendly Library Bags, which are geared toward children with sensory processing disorders and are intended for in-library use. The bags will include a weighted blanket, noise-canceling headphones, and fidgets to make library visits more comfortable and fun. The addition of literature that supports social-emotional needs and more sensory friendly titles will allow us to improve and expand our services to this often under-served population in our community.