Sensory-Friendly Libraries

Many thanks to our students who are researching various aspects of our sensory rooms!  Your data will help guide the development of the spaces!

Fredericksen, M., Mello, C., & Spencer, B. (2024). From stress to serenity: Investigating the sensory room’s effects on student life [Poster presentation]. Eastern Psychological Association Conference, Philadelphia, PA, United States.  https://scholarsphere.psu.edu/resources/98f347a1-b50d-47ea-914c-aa39fd719145

“This study examined the thoughts and perceptions of students regarding the new sensory room in the library of a small liberal arts college (Penn State Berks). Participants answered questions about their opinions on the room, the room’s perceived impact on stress levels, and students’ sense of belonging and inclusion at their school.”

https://www.psu.edu/news/university-libraries/story/libraries-pilots-sensory-rooms-supportive-spaces-neurodiverse-students/?utm_audience=Staff&utm_source=newswire&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Penn%20State%20Today&utm_content=10-30-2023-21-08&utm_term=CampusLife%20-%201

 

Penn State News reports on the Sensory Rooms and other Wellness initiatives!

https://www.psu.edu/news/university-libraries/story/libraries-libwell-initiative-supports-students-well-being/

Check out this article from the BBC that notes the benefits of fidgeting and doodling for disease reduction, caloric burn, destressing, concentration, and recall!:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230814-why-fidgeting-is-good-for-you

 

Here at Berks, we’d live to give a big THANK YOU to our awesome Student Advocacy Specialist in Student Disability Resources who donated plants, fidget items, and a ball chair to the sensory room!!!  Her generosity will help lots of students!

Karen Weintraub covers sensory rooms at college campuses, and how technologies like bubble walls peg light boards, and fidget items can help students regulate emotions and recharge mental energy:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/room-with-an-ahh-colleges-are-giving-students-their-own-space-to-decompress/2020/01/31/dde62b20-444c-11ea-b5fc-eefa848cde99_story.html

 

Hello everyone,

I’ll kick off the News section of our SFL site with a public expression of our huge thanks to Megan and Emily for supporting the growth of the sensory room here at Berks!!!  In the spring Megan and the Lib Well Committee purchased dozens of fidget items as well as sensory equipment for our pilot at Berks.  Due to our generous donors via the Karen B. Pollock Learning Differences and Accessibility Fund, The Libraries Program Endowment, the Donald O. Riehl Libraries Program Endowment, and the Sue and Joe Paterno Libraries Support Endowment, we were able to secure an Alpha Egg Chair that is absolutely amazing, it’s like a sensory room in itself it’s so comfortable and sound insulated!

Megan and Emily we owe you an incredible debt of thanks!!!  We’ll post pictures here in the news section as we deploy the items!

All the Best,

Brett