Dungeons & Dragons for Neurodiverse Teens: Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game enjoyed by people of all ages, sometimes described as interactive storytelling. Teenagers are an important group of users in our libraries, with needs and interests that are different from both children and adults. Neurodiverse teens in particular may struggle to fit in with peers socially, and while too old for sensory storytime could still benefit from programming that is sensitive to their needs. This presentation provides a model of a library D&D program designed for neurodiverse teens, and describes some of the benefits and skill-building opportunities it can provide for this user group.  View the Canva presentation

Michelle Jordan has a Bachelor of Arts in Russian with a second major in Psychology, and is currently pursuing a Master of Library and Information Science degree at SJSU. In addition to her regular coursework, she enjoyed providing virtual reference services to inmates through the San Francisco Public Library’s Jail and Re-entry Services program, and recently completed an internship with the archives team for the non-profit organization Their Story Is Our Story. She is an advocate of lifelong learning and literacy of all kinds, and is committed to supporting accessibility and inclusivity in libraries and archives.