Maximum Impact: Programs for Individuals with IDD
Toledo Lucas County Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
To serve the adults and teens in our community who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), the Toledo Lucas County Public Library (TLCPL) has devised a system of programs tailored to meet their specific needs, while also providing opportunities for people of all abilities to join and interact with an easily isolated population.
These programs are both librarian-led and presenter-led, offering a range of experiences that include storytime, arts, movement, and performances. They occur on a predictable schedule (at the same time and day each week) and are spread across the entire county, allowing individuals to discover new libraries they may not have previously visited. These choices were intentionally made and implemented in collaboration with local groups and organizations that serve the IDD community in Lucas County, with the intention of not only providing them with a program but also offering an experience specifically designed for their inclusion.
Challenge/Opportunity
TLCPL has long attempted to serve the IDD community, particularly the teen and adult care centers that visit us for individual group activities upon request. As we maneuver decreased funding, staffing, and capacity, serving these individual groups presented an issue of equity and sustainability. We needed to innovate a way to these individuals in a more effective manner, and preferably one that reached deeper into their community and presented opportunities for better inclusion with other people at large.
What makes this unique is the reversal of the service structure. Most libraries who serve these communities do so outside of the library, with staff providing library programming at the facility. While there is great value in this structure, TLCPL is simply not equipped to meet the growing needs of our local IDD ecosystem in this manner. By reversing the structure and inviting groups into our buildings, we were able to meet their needs in greater numbers and with increased purpose.
Key Elements of Innovation
Bringing people to the library for these sessions allows for co-mingling of groups, giving opportunity to the IDD community to meet more individuals like themselves (a key component of successful inclusive programs). Adult and teen care centers in Ohio are specifically tasked with providing community-based experiences for their clients. This mandate presents a constant strain on the resources of care centers because intentionally inclusive programs and experiences are sadly not prevalent in the Lucas County area. By reversing the delivery structure of these programs, we are meeting multiple needs of the IDD community and providing opportunities for significantly larger numbers of people than we were previously able to do.
Lastly, while these programs are developed and delivered specifically for those with IDD, we open them to all and welcome people of all abilities to join their IDD community, enhancing the program's experience and inclusiveness for everyone.
Achieved Outcomes
The pilot launched in summer 2024 with twice-a-month programs. By the end of the first month, all programs for the year had full registration (minimum 15 to maximum 100). As a result, we increased program offerings to weekly for 2025.
Year to date, we have hosted 38 programs and served 875 people, with an average attendance of 24 people per event. This was accomplished with a $6,000 budget, a minimal amount that served an entire county.
We forged highly impactful partnerships with area care centers and IDD communities. These relationships led to learning opportunities for staff and an initiative to provide accessibility and sensory details for these programs. This will be standard practice for all programs beginning in spring 2026.
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from both customers and staff. Customers indicated that the need we were trying to fill was accomplished and staff expressed how rewarding the experiences are for their personal and professional growth.
