Events
A Spectrum of Presenters at the 2018 Targeting Autism Forum
This year, we were excited to host seven speakers who are self-advocates on the autism spectrum. We learned so much from these bright and talented speakers.
Presentations included:
- A panel of librarians (Gyasi Burks-Abbott; Stephanie Diorio; Charlie Remy; and Erin Miller) who addressed questions such as, how they could promote positive change in a library or in the field of librarianship;
- Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, who presented on living at the intersection of being black, female and autistic;
- Kerry Magro, author, national speaker, movie consultant and non-profit founder, spoke about his journey to adulthood on the spectrum; and
- Alyssa Huber, independent filmmaker showed her film, Through Our Eyes: Living with Asperger’s, followed by a Q & A.
All presentations will be available on the Targeting Autism YouTube Channel.
Libraries Taking on Autism: A Movement for Collaborative Solutions
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- Tina Dolcetti, Children’s Librarian, Moose Jaw Public Library
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- Dan Weiss, Director, Fanwood Public Library
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- Suzanne Schriar, PI, Targeting Autism, Illinois State Library
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- Barbara Klipper, author, former librarian, creator, Autism Welcome Here: Library Programs, Services and More
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- Carrie Banks (Moderator), Director, Inclusive Services, Brooklyn Public Library
For those who will be attending the American Library Association (ALA) Conference in Chicago, consider attending a panel discussion entitled, Libraries Taking on Autism: A Movement for Collaborative Solutions on Saturday, June 24th, 8:30-10:00am, McCormick Place, W175a.
Program description:
Targeting Autism brought Illinois librarians, people with autism and autism experts to the Illinois State Library to learn, share ideas and plan for new projects. Libraries and Autism: We’re Connected provides training and a national clearinghouse. The Autism Welcome Here grant funds library programs or services aimed at people with autism. Learn how to tap into the foundational work of these groundbreaking initiatives to better serve the people with autism in your community.
Panel members pictured above
Deadline to Register for the Targeting Autism Forum is April 7th!
There are still some openings to attend the Targeting Autism Forum, May 11-12th at the Illinois State Library, but we are quickly reaching our attendance limit. The complete agenda is available here:
2017 Targeting Autism Forum agenda final
If you are interested in attending, please send an email to Suzanne Schriar with a brief statement about what you hope to gain from the forum.
If you are unable to attend, all forum sessions will be recorded and archived for viewing after the event.
Author and Storyteller on the Spectrum to Present at the 2017 Forum
Colin Eldred-Cohen is a creative writer and storyteller, who is on the autism spectrum. Colin is an active member of the Autistic Creatives Collective (ACC), a community of talented creative writers, artists and musicians on the autism spectrum. Colin and his father Donald Cohen will be two of the presenters at the 2017 Targeting Autism forum, held at the Illinois State Library, May 11-12. Among the topics presented, father and son will share ideas about how libraries can help to foster creative expression in the autism community.
Register for the 2017 Targeting Autism Forum!!
The Illinois State Library is currently accepting registrations for the 2017 Targeting Autism Forum, to be held at the Illinois State Library, Springfield, IL, on May 11-12. Lodging will be provided, May 10-11, at the Springfield Wyndham Hotel (formerly Hilton). Upon registration, a room will be reserved in your name. Meals and snacks during the conference will also be provided. Reimbursement for transportation, however, will only be provided to forum presenters.
As in past years, the State Library can accommodate 80 participants. We would like to encourage participation from those who have not previously attended one or both of the earlier forums. If you have attended in the past, we encourage you to register early as registration for previous attendees will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. As always, all forum sessions will be recorded for viewing on the Targeting Autism YouTube Channel.
To register for the 2017 Targeting Autism Forum, simply send an email to Suzanne Schriar and include the following information:
Subject line: I would like to attend the 2017 Targeting Autism Forum
Name:
Job Title:
Place of Employment and address:
Contact Information, including email and phone:
Include a brief paragraph stating what you hope to gain from this forum (see highlights below)
A sampling of the 2017 forum presenters includes the following:
will be our keynote speaker to open the forum on Thursday. Author of Asperger’s from the Inside Out and Unemployed on the Autism Spectrum (with two other books in production), Carley was the founder and first Executive Director of GRASP and former Executive Director of ASTEP. He now works as an international autism consultant and motivational speaker. Mr. Carley also received a diagnosis of Asperger’s after his son was diagnosed.
is author of four books. He is an internationally recognized relationship consultant and motivational speaker. He was diagnosed with Aspergers, ADHD and Dyslexia after his 3 boys were diagnosed with ADHD and Aspergers. King turned his consulting and coaching business into a virtual format to accommodate clients from across the globe.
is author of Serving Families of Children with Special Needs: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians (ALA Editions) and has been director of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Child’s Place for Children with Special Needs since 1997. In 2015, Banks was elected to the Board of Directors of ASCLA as the Designated Director for Special Populations. An expert in library inclusion, she will present an interactive approach to problem-solve common issues for librarians with regard to autism, diversity, accommodation and inclusion.
is often referred to as the “Queen of Visuals.” Over 30 years in the field as an autism consultant, trainer, author and teacher, Hodgdon’s strategies are practical for every setting. Two of her practical guides: Visual Strategies for Improving Communication and Solving Behavior Problems in Autism are invaluable resources for educators, librarians, parents and anyone who works with children with autism or other developmental/communication disorders.
who is founder and Executive Director of In the Public Interest, helped to establish the Autism Creatives Collective, a community of talented creative writers, artists and musicians on the spectrum who support each other in their creative endeavors. Cohen is also father to Colin Eldred-Cohen,
a young adult with autism who has just published his first children’s book. Together they will deliver an engaging presentation about Colin’s path to creative writing, the special difficulties that creative people on the spectrum face and how libraries can support writers and other creatives on the spectrum.
The Tu Y Yo: Young Adults with Autism Mentoring, Educating and Advocating. This group of young adults with autism will educate and inspire us all as they share the active roles they take with each other and in their community to address needs for all individuals with autism, especially young adults.
We will have two panel discussions:
- Panel on Autism and Employment in Libraries with Philip Zupon, Tina Dolcetti, Ata Bird and Dan O’Hara.
- Janet McAllister of the Rochester, Illinois Public Library and Maggie Henderson of the Glen Carbon, Illinois Public Library will discuss providing library internship opportunities for students/individuals on the spectrum.
This and more promises to make for an intensive and engaging forum experience. We hope to see you there!
targetingautismlibs.com 