Autism Awareness Week – 29 March – 4 April 2021

Author event with Jane Evans and children’s colouring competition
On Monday 29 March, Newington Library welcomed Edinburgh author, Jane Evans reading an extract from her fantastic children’s book, ‘Vera McLuckie and the Daydream Club’.                                                                                  

Jane Evans lives in Edinburgh with her family, their cat called Pie and new puppy Bonnie. Jane discussed her book Vera McLuckie and the Daydream Club featuring an autistic character and illustrated by the very talented autistic artist, Ruth Mutch. In this recording, we’ll find about the characters and what makes them that bit different, as well as reading one of her favourite chapters.
Watch Jane reading from Vera McLuckie and the Daydream Club on Facebook.

Children’s colouring competition – three lucky winners will receive a signed copy of Vera McLuckie and the Daydream Club, with our first prize winner also getting a book token. To enter, colour in one of our cute penguin pictures. Or if you’re unable to print at home, you can submit your own drawing of a penguin.
The competition is open to Edinburgh residents with an EH postcode. Winners will be selected by Jane Evans and illustrator Ruth Mutch. The deadline for entries is Sunday 18 April 2021 – so get colouring!
Colouring competition pictures and details on Facebook

Staff awareness
Autism Awareness Week is an opportunity to celebrate and raise awareness and education around autism. We are encouraging library staff to raise their own personal awareness of autism and to consider in team meetings how we can apply what we’ve learnt in our library service.

Citywide conversation
Our librarians will be tweeting out to organisations and individuals the following questions:

“Edinburgh Libraries – Autism Acceptance.
Alan Gardner, a true friend of Edinburgh Libraries once said – We do not have Autism, we are Autistic – and this has resonated with us.
What assumptions around Autism would you correct?

AND
What would you tell your younger self about acceptance?”

The twitter responses will be gathered and collated into a blog article released next week.

Alan Gardner in conversation with Maya Aslam, Directorial Researcher, Edinburgh Business School.
Alan and Maya will discuss lockdown, coming out of lockdown and how as an autistic person and friend of Edinburgh Libraries we can help change the assumptions and preconceived ideas for Autistic people in the workplace and in life.
Recorded discussion, date and time of release to be confirmed.