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At the start of the fall semester, Syracuse University’s Bird Library opened the doors of 10 new “sensory friendly” study rooms available to students and faculty.

Ahead of midterm season, library study rooms are in high demand, Library Technician Matt Bonaccio said. As SU students manage academic stress, the new sensory-friendly areas in Bird aim to create a safe space for the campus community, SU Access Services Librarian Kristin Jeter said.

“We’re here to provide (students) the support they need because being at school is stressful … the last thing we want to do here at the libraries is add to that stress,” Jeter said. “So if things like lights are causing these sensory overloads … these rooms could serve that role of providing a safe, comfortable space for the students to be in.”

The rooms include dimmable lamps, a lava lamp-style liquid bubbler and two sensory discs, along with a basket of fidget items that serve to prevent overstimulation. Visitors are also able to check out noise-canceling headphones from the front desk of the library, Mariam Kanaan, an access and success advocate with SU’s Center for Disability Resources, said.

CDR encourages universal design in classrooms and public spaces across campus, Kanaan said. She said the rooms do not just cater to students with specific sensory needs, but instead a range of people across campus.

Jeter said she proposed the idea after being approached by several students regarding the library’s harsh fluorescent lighting. After receiving this feedback, she realized she wanted to create study spaces in Bird that met students’ mental and physical needs, so she began working with her supervisors and CDR.

A catalyst grant through the Central New York Library Resources Council helped Jeter fund the project and purchase the sensory objects, she said. The grant awards library projects for improving community spaces and resources, according to CLRC’s website.

Jeter and Kanaan worked closely together to discuss the necessary resources and ideal location for the rooms, she said. The team settled on the third and fourth floors of Bird due to their lack of fluorescent lighting. The library added individual lamps to each study room with dimming and color changing features, Jeter said.

Bonaccio said the new addition of sensory-inclusive options will make the library a more welcoming environment as library study rooms continue to be popular.

“We’ve had study rooms without windows for a while, but the institution of the sensory friendly study ones is pretty new,” Bonaccio said.

Jeter said the library staff wanted to start small and see how the room was received by the SU community before expanding item inventory. She encouraged students to continue to advocate for their own personal and academic needs, emphasizing the current resources offered by library staff and across campus.

Bird also offers a Wellness Collection available to borrow, including coloring books, light therapy lamps and chair massage pillows. Students also have access to sensory and stress reduction items through the Barnes Center at the Arch’s Crowley Family Mind Spa.

Eight of the 10 rooms can be requested through Bird’s online system, LibCal, Jeter said. The other two rooms serve as first come-first serve spaces that can be booked at the library’s front desk.

Published on September 29, 2024 at 10:01 pm

Contact Arabella: akklonow@syr.edu