Yarra Plenty Regional Library Social Stories
Yarra Plenty Regional Library (YPRL) is committed to ensuring our branches are welcoming and inclusive to all members of our communities.
One way we can do this is by reducing the barriers to access and participation for people who are on the autism spectrum.
Social Stories (also known as Social Scripts) provide information before a visit to our venues, so patrons have a clearer understanding of what to expect.
Social situations are explained to help learn ways of behaving in the particular environment. People on the Autism Spectrum, along with their carers and family members can plan visits at particular times, choose what to do when they are there, and know which areas of our buildings and grounds can be used to make their experience more positive.
They can do this because the Social Stories usually contain very detailed and specific information about what can be expected – how they will travel to a location, what it will look like, who they will encounter there, what they will do, the actions or behaviour that is typically expected and what they can do if they feel overwhelmed. This information helps them to pick up on the cues they may otherwise miss and help them develop new skills.
Social Stories were originally developed and are trademarked by Carol Gray, a teacher working with young autistic children in 1991. They have been used in a variety of settings and research has demonstrated they are highly successful in reducing barriers to access and participation. More information about Social Stories can be found here:
YPRL have now created a Social Story for every branch including the mobile library, providing an overview of what can be expected.
Each branch staff member on the project consulted with their specific community and Araluen Disability Services when creating their story, and, because each patron’s individual needs and experiences vary, each social story is in word format and can be edited so that it can be tailored. By including as much information as possible, patrons can choose what is significant for them to know about before visiting.
We are keen to get community feedback on the stories so if you have a question or comment about them, please contact us: Get in contact with YPRL
Further information for each of our individual branches, such as accessibility, opening hours, services, and more can be found on our Branch Locations page.