MLB: Community Meeting

Building Bridges: Neurodiversity in the Library Space (Community Meeting 2025)

The Multitype Library Board partnered with the Saskatchewan Library Association to present Building Bridges: Neurodiversity in the Library Space as a Saskatchewan Library Conference pre-conference session. The session was held at the University of Saskatchewan Murray Library on May 7, 2025.

The pre-conference session featured two presentations.

1. Neurodiversity-Friendly Library Spaces was presented by Christine van der Merwe. Christine works as an ADHD coach for Learning Disabilities Association of Saskatchewan (LDAP). The presentation covered a wide range of topics such as creating sensory sensitive spaces, supporting neurodiverse employees, workplace adaptations and building an inclusive culture.

2. Quiet by Design: The Path to a Low-Sensory Study Space was presented by University of Saskatchewan staff members: Chelsea Kruger, Strategic Planning Access and Equity Services, Alison Jantz, Operations Manager, Public Services University Library and Rea Carlson, Planner for Planning, Design & Construction. The University of Saskatchewan staff discussed the creation of a low-sensory room within the Murray Library from conception to completion. Pre-conference attendees were also given a tour of the low-sensory space.

Previous Community Meeting Topics

Mis-information literacy: strengthening critical thinking in the age of instant news (October 2022)
The online community meeting featured Gordon Pennycook from the University of Regina. He presented a session titled “Intuition, Reason, and Social Media.” Joanna Sanders of Let's Talk Science presented a session titled “Tackling Misinformation Through Digital and Scientific Literacy.” 

Reaching Out to Diverse Populations: The Diverse Stories of Saskatchewan (April 2021)
The online community meeting highlighted equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in libraries and information institutions. With the theme of “Reaching Out to Diverse Populations: The Diverse Stories of Saskatchewan” the meeting provided a better understanding of the challenges and experiences of people coming into our library spaces. 

 Amanda Fernandez, founder of Inclusifyy Inc. provided the keynote, titled "Effectively Confronting and Dismantling Whiteness, White Supremacy and Oppression in Librarianship."  Pauline Streete, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Research, University of Regina provided insight into how EDI can be embedded into the workplace, in a presentation titled "EDI Principles and Small Acts."  Participants shared their appreciation for the thought-provoking content.

Truth & Reconciliation Report and Recommendations (October 2018)
The meeting at Wanuskewin Heritage Park centered on the Canadian Federation of Library Associations’ (CFLA) Truth & Reconciliation Report and Recommendations. It included a signing ceremony of the Strategic Alliance between Saskatchewan Public Libraries and the Office of the Treaty Commissioner and a keynote was delivered by the Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan, Mary Culbertson. Camille Callison (University of Manitoba) and Christina Winter (University of Regina) also presented on the CFLA Report and lead a break-out session.

Library Space Transformation (May 2016)
The Board partnered with the Saskatchewan Library Association to deliver the pre-conference session, Library Space Transformation. The session brought together library staff from public, school, post-secondary and special libraries. Patrick Deaton, Associate Director for Learning Spaces and Capital Management at the North Carolina State University Libraries presented The Hunt Library at Age Three: Lessons for Your Library Spaces. Bill Ptacek, Calgary Public Library CEO presented The Changing Nature of the Physical Library.