Family Storytime – ASL Interpretation Provided
Anne Arundel County Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
Family Storytime with ASL Interpretation expands access to early literacy through a dependable, inclusive model at Discoveries: The Library at the Mall, where a predictable monthly schedule and central location help families from across the region participate regularly. Through an ongoing partnership with Kathy MacMillan of Stories By Hand, the program provides consistent ASL interpretation and fosters trusted relationships with families and staff. By bringing together accessibility, community partnership, and regional reach, the program creates meaningful opportunities for deaf and hearing children and caregivers to learn, connect, and belong.
Challenge/Opportunity
AACPL, like most library systems, provided ASL interpretation through a formal accommodation request process. While well-intentioned, this approach required Deaf families to arrange access in advance, creating barriers that hearing families did not face and limiting equitable participation in early literacy programs.
AACPL identified an opportunity to build ASL access directly into programming. Key challenges included:
Additional barriers for Deaf families.
1-2 week processing time for interpretation requests.
Coordination among families, staff, agencies, and interpreters.
Last-minute scheduling changes.
Fast-paced, interactive storytimes can be challenging for interpreters unfamiliar with early childhood settings.
Providing equitable access within a fixed budget.
Limited continuity when interpreters varied by program.
To address these barriers, AACPL embedded ASL interpretation into a recurring monthly storytime, expanding equitable access for Deaf families.
Key Elements of Innovation
Family Storytime with ASL Interpretation is a monthly early literacy program for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers at Discoveries: The Library at the Mall. Programs include books, songs, rhymes, fingerplays, and movement activities with ASL interpretation throughout.
Key partners:
Kathy MacMillan (Stories By Hand), primary ASL interpreter
Freelance ASL interpreters as needed
Key elements:
Predictable monthly schedule
ASL interpretation built into every program
Consistent interpreter presence that fosters trust and continuity
Regional location serving families across Anne Arundel County and beyond
Innovation:
Shifts from a reactive accommodation model to a proactive service model
Eliminates the need to request interpretation
Creates shared experiences for Deaf and hearing families
Embeds accessibility into core library services
Achieved Outcomes
Demand for ASL accessibility was measured through interpreter requests for preschool programs.
28 interpreter requests (6 months pre-launch)
Monthly ASL Storytime launched (Apr. 2024)
85% decrease in monthly interpreter requests after launch
The decline suggests families' accessibility needs are being met through regularly scheduled ASL-interpreted storytimes.
New Partnerships:
Kathy MacMillan, author, librarian, and ASL storyteller
Regional freelance ASL interpreters
Deaf Culture Digital Library partnered on an ASL-accessible customer survey
Customer/Staff Feedback:
Customers traveled from outside the county to attend and expressed interest in bringing similar programming to their local libraries.
“We should continue offering the program. It is working for both staff and customers.”
“To patrons who use American Sign Language, the Family Storytime with ASL Interpretation sends a clear message: here, you are not only accommodated but welcomed.”
