The Massachusetts Library System is pleased to announce that we have contracted with ALA to provide our members with access to their live webinars.  These webinars are free to MLS members who register through our calendar.  Please do not register directly with ALA. Members who register directly with ALA are responsible for paying their registration fee. 

Please help us keep MLS sponsored training free for all members. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, please cancel your registration. A cancellation link can be found in your confirmation email, or you may contact Sarah Donnelly at sdonnelly@masslibsystem.org to cancel. 

Description

The Santa Ana Public Library's AstounD Robot-Mediated Behavior Intervention (RMBI) program connects neurodivergent youth with RMBI robots and technology tools that help them develop social, life, and learning skills. This webinar will showcase several different types of RMBI-programmed robots and technology tools, as well as best practices that have been utilized as part of the library’s AStounD program pilot for the past three years. Additionally, this webinar will explore program components that engage teen volunteers, parents, and community stakeholders, as well as focus on programmatic elements that support the lending of robotic companions for home use.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Appreciate the potential of Robot-Mediated Behavior Intervention (RMBI) programming for neurodivergent youth;
• Consider the various RMBI robots and technology tools available for use in public library settings; and
• Further explore programming elements and components that effectively introduce and connect neurodivergent youth and their families to this innovative tool.

Who Should Attend

This webinar is intended for programming librarians (staff who do programs for the public), and library directors and administrators.

Presenters

Cheryl A. Eberly (she/her) is the principal librarian for the young adult and volunteer services at the Santa Ana (CA) Public Library. She is responsible for the creation and development of the 2014 National Arts and Humanities award-winning TeenSpace Circle of Mentoring project. Cheryl has over fifteen years of experience in engaging youth and emerging adults via a targeted mentorship approach to civic engagement and youth workforce development, including various mentorship-based programs at the library such as the Teen Community Historians, Youth Health Ambassadors, and Seeds to Trees Digital Media Technology Institute Program. In 2020, she piloted a Robots in Residence and an AStounD Robot-Mediated Behavior Intervention program for neurodivergent youth at the Santa Ana Public Library. 

Lawrence (“Dr. Larry”) Singer (he/him) entered the library and information services field in a roundabout way. In his previous professional career, he was in the mental health field, possessing a doctorate in clinical psychology. With his master’s in counseling psychology and doctorate in clinical psychology, Lawrence had various different placement experiences. Among them were assignments with the YMCA Counseling Center and Dayle McIntosh Center for the Disabled, working with people with varying disabilities. Being disabled himself, Lawrence was a natural to help them with their life struggles. Among the clients served were youth on the autism spectrum. When the AStounD program and Robots in Residence began, Lawrence was a natural choice to help helm the program, learning about Robot Mediated Behavior Intervention to utilize clinically sound and proven techniques to reach youth on the spectrum.  

Accessibility Information

If you have questions or requests regarding accessibility, contact ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.