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June 2023 | Volume XLI, Issue 2 »

My Turn: Neurodivergence in Libraries

June 1, 2023
Alex Towers, The Joseph Sears School, Kenilworth

If you thought trying to find a job during the height of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic was tough, imagine trying to find a job during the height of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic and being on the autism spectrum. That seemed to be the case with me during the first two months of 2022. After being rejected from numerous public library jobs that I felt I was more than qualified for (I received an MSLIS from the University of Illinois’ iSchool six months earlier), I felt angry, hopeless, and disappointed. Could it be possible, I wondered, that because I had disclosed my diagnosis in every interview I had, the libraries based their hiring decision on that fact alone as opposed to the qualifications on my resume? The thought of being discriminated against in this manner was too much for me to comprehend because I had been working in public libraries since the age of fourteen, when I began volunteering at the Glencoe Public Library.

However, just when I was about to give up hope, an amazing opportunity in the form of the Joseph Sears School in Kenilworth presented itself, and it would change my life forever. The opportunity presented itself when Carrie De La Cruz, the Sears School’s Director of Student Services, stopped by Have Dreams, an Evanston-based autism resource organization that I have been involved with for over ten years. At the time, I was taking part in a job readiness program called Have Dreams Academy (HDA), and Carrie, along with a few other local community leaders, had visited to take part in a “career day” of sorts. They asked my fellow participants and me questions about ourselves and our work experience. When it was my turn, I told Carrie that I was conducting my HDA internship through the Evanston Public Library, possessed an MSLIS degree, and had a part-time job at my hometown public library in Glencoe.

I didn’t think much of it at the time, but it just so happened that this little encounter was one of the most serendipitous moments of my life. Shortly after Have Dreams Academy wrapped up, my job coach, Lora Slutsky, called me and said that she had been in contact with the Sears School and their then-head librarian, Lynette Bromiel. Apparently, Carrie had told Lynette that my credentials were impressive. It turned out that the school was looking for a new library aide to help them prepare for a library renovation, and Lora asked if I would be interested in this opening. When I first heard this news, I was a little apprehensive; my limited library experience was in public libraries. However, I quickly realized that opportunities like this are the kinds you really only get once in your lifetime, so I ultimately decided this was a position worth applying for.

After filling out the required paperwork and coming into Sears for some shadowing with Lynette, I anxiously awaited my fate. I felt I had rolled the dice big-time when applying for this position, especially as I was coming off a disheartening series of rejections. Nonetheless, I was cautiously optimistic about my chances with the Sears School. Would this be the royal flush I had been hoping for throughout my job search, or would this wind up being another instance of being discriminated against on the basis of disability? A week after my shadowing, I got an incredibly happy email from Lynette: I was hired! Needless to say, I was euphoric beyond belief; Lynette understood that me being neurodiverse indeed meant some extra accommodations, but also understood that my autism is a big part of why I am a detail-oriented hard worker with a passion for libraries. In other words, Lynette hired me because she focused on my abilities as a person and not any shortcomings associated with my disability. The world desperately needs more employers like Lynette, who truly mean it when they say they are welcoming to all people!

I started working at the Joseph Sears School in March of 2022 in what began as a part-time role, doing shelf-reading and packing up boxes. One year later, that role has been upgraded to a full-time position, with duties ranging from checking in books, making booklists, and assisting in the school’s Library Club on Thursday mornings. When I began my Library Aide job, I had mentioned to Lynette that I preferred working in a quiet space and away from students, and she made sure to accommodate me with those requests. However, as time went on, my role gradually transitioned from being mostly behind-the-scenes to more forward-facing, as I became much more comfortable sharing the space with the Sears School’s incredible students. A shortcoming of many neurodiverse individuals is adapting to changes in a routine, and while I share this trait, I ultimately learned to embrace my behind-the-scenes duties being phased out because Lynette and the Sears team made the transitory process go at a pace that did not feel too rapid.

So far, it has been an absolute thrill to be part of the Sears School family because working in a school library setting (a K-8 school, no less) has given me the opportunity to work with children on a more direct level. Whether it’s helping them locate a book or complimenting their artwork in Library Club, interacting with kids of all ages brings me so much joy, knowing that I am making an impact on their lives that I hope they won’t forget as they grow up. Additionally, every day at work, students address me as “Mr. Towers,” which makes my heart grow in size like the Grinch’s every time. What’s more, even though I’m a library aide, I would like children, especially neurodiverse children, to see me as something more than just a guy who works in the library; I hope that they see me as a buddy of sorts who has had similar experiences, struggling with anxiety and learning differently than their allistic (non-autistic) counterparts.

In a way, I would love to be in the shoes of today’s neurodiverse youth because having an autistic mentor is something that I feel could have really helped me when I was a kid myself (even though I received incredible support throughout my entire education that I am grateful for). I have mentioned this idea to Carrie, and she has told me that my idea is excellent and it could potentially become a reality once the 2023-24 school year rolls around because one of the students in the school’s Little Adventurers program is on the spectrum. If it does happen, it would be a dream come true, as it would combine my love of libraries and books with my wishes to ensure today’s generation of children on the spectrum get the kind of extra-special and inclusive support I never had in my own childhood.

I hope that my journey from being unemployed and frustrated to having a full-time public school library job I love will serve as a wake-up call of sorts for employers across the library world to be more inclusive with hiring qualified neurodiverse applicants. However, I want that hope to become a reality sooner rather than later, because if my job hunting experience is any indication, libraries of all stripes in Illinois have some more steps to do if they want to be inclusive. From my research, I am unable to find any publicly-available data on how many autistic people work in  llinois libraries, whether school libraries or public ones.

In my case, I was beyond fortunate to have people like Carrie, Lynette and Lora hold my hand throughout the application and interview process because they understood that me being on the spectrum required some steps on their respective ends to make me feel more confident.

Additionally, since neurodiverse individuals work best with clear expectations and structure, I would strongly advise employers to include structured visual aids to ensure their employees understand the requirements of their respective position. Finally, and most importantly, employers should never prioritize their neurodiverse employees over those who aren’t neurodiverse. These are simple steps to follow, and I wish more employers like the Sears School would apply them.