Yes, it’s the 5th Annual #NoWorkbookWeek on Instagram, but guess what else it is? It’s “National Library Week”! National Library Week (April 6-12th this year) is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities. And since our patients are members of the communities that these libraries serve, National Library Week is a great time to familiarize yourself with all your local library has to offer, especially as a Speech Therapist.
Below is a list of 5 different ways you can use your local library to offer better clinical care to your SLP caseload:
1. Familiarize yourself with the process of getting a new library card so that you can help patients. Applying for a new library card might include multiple steps and multiple items (ex: completing paper or digital applications, gathering IDs, showing proof of residence, etc.) Reviewing the process with an executive functioning tool such as the Goal-Plan-Do Review framework can ease any anxiety and reduce the chance of mistakes. It can also allow the patient more practice with the Goal-Plan-Do-Review framework.
*CLICK HERE for digital product “Executive Functioning Tool: Goal-Plan-Do-Review”
2. Know the details of the library checkout process so that we can help patients with the steps when they need to check out library materials. Following multi-step instructions involved in library transactions can be difficult for patients. Hence, being able to practice beforehand, can be helpful. This can also provide us as SLPs an opportunity to see how patients approach multi-step tasks, in general.
3. Checkout library books on the topic of patients’ interest/hobbies that can be used in therapy activities. As mentioned on my page before, incorporating the interests/hobbies of patient can improve patient motivation, patient engagement, and so much more! You will want to get acquainted with all the books, online subscriptions, movie collections, etc that the patient’s local library offers. These are FREE and relevant therapy materials you don’t want to miss out on.
*CLICK HERE for blog post “Incorporating Patient Interests & Hobbies into Speech Therapy”
4. Grab FREE newspapers, event flyers, and magazines to use in therapy activities. As seen in some of my Instagram posts, using event flyers can help target so many cognitive-communication skills (attention, memory, reading comprehension, etc).
*CLICK HERE for a video about using event flyers in therapy activities
5. Scope out the library location for a potential therapy outing. Therapy outings allow opportunities for real-life application of skills and supports that have been targeted in therapy sessions.
a. Been practicing reading comprehension of signs? Practice at the library.
b. Been practicing asking for help when needed (expressive language)? Practice with the staff at the library.
c. Been practicing using memory strategies or external memory aids to keep track of what you’re looking for? Practice at the library.
*CLICK HERE for video on therapy outings
There you have it! 5 benefits of your local library to you as a Speech Therapist. Comment below different ways you've used libraries in your clinical practice.
As always, have some amazing and FUNctional therapy sessions.
-Dana (The Neuro SLP)
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