Demystifying Neurodiversity: Meeting the Needs of Niche Populations with Confidence

Learn basic characteristics of common learning disabilities and discuss strategies for providing quality service for assisting anyone, whether neurodivergent or neurotypical. You will gain an understanding of the concept of neurodiversity, learn some key traits, and discuss techniques to confidently meet the needs of your library population.

Speakers:

Gretchen Dreimiller
Beacon College
Gretchen Dreimiller holds an M.A. in English from Boston College and an M.A. in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida. She has spent most of her career in higher education in various roles, but is now finally in her dream job working as a college librarian. Gretchen has spent almost a decade working at Beacon College, a school dedicated to serving the needs of neurodiverse students, and has realized that many people are unnecessarily worried about knowing how to help this population. As a librarian, Gretchen loves learning new skills, tips, tricks, and techniques from others and is happy to pass along those that she has.

Emily Morgan
Beacon College
Before transitioning to Beacon College, Emily worked for several years as a reference librarian at the Leesburg Public Library. Emily fostered her passion for disseminating information, became a champion of inclusivity, and developed her love of lifelong learning while working for the public. She holds a bachelor's in English and a master's in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida. When she is not working, you can find her curled up with her pets reading the latest YA novel or manga.