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Sensory Bag

Handley Branch Enhancing Accessibility for Patrons with Sensory Needs

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Handley Library branch has achieved KultureCity® Certification as a Sensory InclusiveTM space. This certification marks a significant step forward in the library's commitment to providing an inclusive environment for all patrons, including those with sensory processing needs.

Through a partnership with KultureCity®, the Handley Library branch has implemented a range of accommodations and resources to better support individuals with sensory sensitivities. This initiative reflects the library's dedication to raising awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by those with sensory processing needs.

Among the accommodations available are KultureCity® Sensory bags, which include noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, feeling thermometers, and special KCVIP badges. These resources are provided for in-house use and are accessible to patrons at no cost by leaving an ID at designated service desks within the library.

Sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation are often experienced by individuals with autism, dementia, PTSD and other similar conditions. One of the major barriers for these individuals is sensitivity to over stimulation and noise, which can be a major part of the events or services.

"We are excited to reinforce our dedication to serving every patron at the Handley Library branch," said John Huddy, Director of Handley Regional Library System. "By partnering with KultureCity®, we can better serve patrons with sensory needs and ensure that everyone in our community feels welcome and supported."

Patrons can obtain KultureCity® Sensory bags and other accommodations at the Greeter Desk located at the entrance and the Youth Services Information Desk on the Second Floor. Additionally, an extra pair of noise-canceling headphones is available for in-house use at the Information Services Desk in the Adult Reading Room.

KultureCity® is a leading non-profit recognized nationwide for using its resources to revolutionize and effect change in the community for those with sensory needs, not just those with autism. Since the program’s inception, KultureCity® has created over 1,000 Sensory InclusiveTM public and private services, organizations, events, and venues in 6 countries: this includes special events such as the NFL Pro-Bowl, NFL Super Bowl, MLB World Series, and MLB All-Star Weekend.

Prior to their visit, families and individuals can download the free KultureCity® App where one can view what sensory features are available and where they can access them including, how to get a KultureCity® Sensory Bag. Also, on the App is the Social Story which will provide a customized visual preview of what to expect while participating. Access the social story here: https://venue.kulturecity.org/venues/handley-regional-library-system

For more information about the Handley Library branch's sensory-inclusive initiatives, please visit www.handleyregional.org/accessibility or contact 540-662-9041.

For more information, contact Public Relations and Outreach Manager Cheryl Nakagawa at cnakagawa@handleyregional.org or visit www.handleyregional.org.

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bilingual Read-Alongs

Bilingual Read-Along Books

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Have you checked out any of our Juvenile Read-Along books?

Find general information about our Juvenile Read-Along collection HERE on our website. 

The library’s collection of bilingual (English/Spanish) picturebook Read-Alongs continues to grow. A quick search of “bilingual read-alongs”  in the catalog reveals more than 50 titles. Some favorites are featured below.

Summaries provided by NoveList

 

 

Gather

 Gathering the Sun = Recogiendo el Sol un Abecedar: An Alphabet in Spanish and   English by Alma Flor Ada; Illustrated by Simon Silva

 An alphabet book with exceptional illustrations and excellent poetry that gives voice to the   experience of Hispanic agricultural workers. Each letter is matched with a Spanish word (for   example, "Arboles" for "A") and accompanied by a poem in both Spanish and English that   describes how the plant, fruit, vegetable, person, or feeling functions in the lives of these   workers. 

 

 

 

 

hungry

 I'm Hungry! !Tengo Hambre! by Angela Dominguez

 A bilingual picture book that’s sweet enough to eat, about a chatty bluebird and an   indecisive T. Rex who can’t decide what his next meal should be. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hull

  Delicious Hullabaloo = Pachanga Deliciosa by Pat Mora; illustrated by Francisco      Mora

   In this poem in English and Spanish, lizards, armadillos, and other creatures of the       night make merry beneath the desert moon, enjoying the strains of a mariachi band       and gobbling lots of delicious food.

 

 

 

 

noche

  La Noche de Terror: Un Cuento Sobre Robot y Rico = The Scary Night: A Robot and Rico      Story by Anastasia Suen; illustrated by Michael Frederick Laughead

  A crackling fire. Weird shadows. Strange noises. And a scary story. Are Robot and Rico ready for   their first camp out?

 

 

 

 

 

 

mariposa

  Señorita Mariposa by Ben Gundersheimer; illustrated by Almada Rivero

  A bilingual love poem of admiration and respect for the millions of monarch butterflies   that journey south to Mexico   every year. From a chrysalis on the title page, Señorita   Mariposa invites readers to follow the monarch butterfly as it embarks on a journey   spanning thousands of miles.

 

 

 

 

 

sing

 Sing With Me = Canta Conmigo by Jose-Luis Orozco; illustrated by Sara Palacios

 A delightful book  that explores six classic songs in Spanish and English. Included are   "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," "The Alphabet Song," "Where Is Thumbkin," "The   Wheels on the Bus," "The Eeensy Weensy Spider," and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." 

 

 

 

 

perros

  Perros! Perros! = Dogs! Dogs! by Ginger Foglesong Guy; illustrated by Sharon       Glick

 This simple, yet entertaining title makes use of a wide array of breeds to demonstrate   the concept of opposites. The story begins with a girl waking up in her bedroom,   which  is decorated with canine posters, stuffed animals, floppy slippers, night-light,   even a  doggy alarm clock. As she looks out her window, an excited pack of dogs runs by.   “Big  dog. Little dog….Where are they going?” 

 

 

 

 

pele

 Pelé, King of Soccer = Pelé, El Rey del Fútbol by Monica Brown; illustrated by   Rudy Gutierrez

 A biography of the soccer star known as "O Rei"--the king--describes his   impoverished  boyhood in Brazil, his relationship with his father, who taught him the   sport, his role on the first Brazilian team to win the World Cup, and scoring his   thousandth goal.

 

 

 

 

boy

 The Boy Who Touched the Stars = El Nino Que Alcanzo Las Estrellas 

 by Jose M. Hernandez; illustrated by Steven J. Petruccio

 Astronaut Jose M. Hernandez recounts his childhood as the son of Mexican migrant   workers and his life-long dream to travel to the stars.

 

 

 

dias

  Dias y Dias = Days and Days by Ginger Foglesong Guy; illustrated by Rene King   Moreno

 In this bilingual story that introduces descriptive adjectives, words for the weather,   months, and a child's seasonal wardrobe, children enjoy what makes each season   special.

 

 

 

 

 

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Middle Grade 2014 Titles Book Covers

Middle Grade Book Spotlight--2014 Titles!!!

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Our middle grade book spotlight this week is on books that were published in 2014 and are celebrating their 10th birthday!  I do not know what was in the water, air, or universe that year but there were so many amazing titles and authors to come out of that year of publishing that books we read today are still inspired by those groundbreaking works.  Many have been adapted into movies and shows we were clamoring to see in the theaters since 2014 and some titles we are still talking about and recommending to others.  There is a mixture of stand alone titles as well as firsts in a series to fantasy, realistic, mystery, and a bit of humor These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #youth10years as well as on Libby and Hoopla.  Check back next week for a new middle grade book spotlight and if you have any book suggestions, please let us know!!

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm--Ellie's scientist grandfather has discovered a way to reverse aging, and consequently has turned into a teenager--which makes for complicated relationships when he moves in with Ellie and her mother, his daughter.

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin--Twelve-year-old Rose Howard, who is diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, finds refuge from her difficult home life and the teasing she endures at school in homonyms and spending time with her dog Rain. But when Rain is lost during a thunderstorm and then later recovered, Rose learns that Rain has a microchip identifying her as someone else’s dog. Propelled by an unrelenting drive to comply with rules, Rose sets out to locate Rain’s owners and give Rain back to them, despite the anguish that relinquishing her beloved dog will cause Rose. 

The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel--When Will's father saves the Canadian Pacific Railway's president from an avalanche and is made a railway executive, Will's quiet life changes forever. Invited to ride on the maiden voyage of The Boundless, a massive train of nearly 1,000 cars, Will meets Maren, a beautiful young circus performer in the employ of enigmatic Mr. Dorian, whose circus has cars of its own riding along with The Boundless. Also in the mammoth train is a vault-like mausoleum car, carrying precious treasures. Will ends up in possession of this car's key—and thus comes into the sights of bandits seeking to rob the train. Will, Maren and other new friends must work together if they want to save The Boundless.

Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord--After moving to a small cottage in New Hampshire, 12-year-old Lucy Emery is left to her own devices when her photographer father leaves on another assignment. Lucy, a photographer herself, signs up for a local youth photography contest her father will be judging. Over the course of the summer, Lucy searches for subjects to capture with her lens, and ends up forging a friendship with her new neighbor, Nate. Nate is dealing with his own familial issues, particularly an aging grandmother deep in the throes of dementia. When Lucy takes a moving picture of his grandmother that she knows would do well in the contest, she struggles over whether to submit it and how to help Nate through this difficult time.

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff--It's kind of a bummer when you're not the best at anything—and 10-year-old half-Korean Albie definitely has that feeling when he switches schools and finds himself not only the target of a bully, but a student in need of a tutor due to his struggles with spelling and math. Luckily, Albie's tutor turns out to be Calista, an awesome college student and artist who thinks Albie is pretty cool just the way he is. With someone to believe in him and show him that following the crowd doesn't always take you where you want to go, Albie begins to come into his own.

Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull--It was just supposed to be a fun time at a haunted house on Halloween. Sixth-grader Cole Randolph thought he could get to know Jenna Hunt a little better, too. Instead, something terrible happens—Cole and his friends are whisked into a portal beneath the house to The Outskirts, a realm between dreams and reality, life and death, made up of five warring kingdoms of floating castles. Made to work for ruthless overlords, Cole feels terrible for getting his friends into this mess and vows to rescue them and find a way back home. 

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