A new program is coming to the Williamsburg Regional Library, and it will create a safe space for those with disabilities.
Linda Niedzwick, youth services librarian at WRL, is the leader of the new Next Chapter Book Club Williamsburg location. The Next Chapter Book Club is an international program that provides educational and social opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to the organization’s website.
“It’s supposed to help with reading skills but meant to be a social outlet,” she said.
Neidzwick said she has a child with disabilities so finding ways to provide resources she knows will help that community is something close to her heart.
To start a new location of the Next Chapter Book Club, the library had to complete a licensing program where Neidzwick said she had to go through a series of online training modules and video sessions.
“It shows why it is important to have these different communities,” she said. “It shows how it benefits the people that participate and gives an example meeting.”
The program is designed to only have eight participants who are teenagers or adults. Neidzwick said the reason for small groups is because it gives participants an experience that isn’t overwhelming. In addition, it keeps the expenses for the program down. The library pays for all of the books and then the participants get to keep them after the meetings.
At each meeting there will be two facilitators so there will be enough supervision for the group, she said. However, if there starts to be a high demand of people wanting to participate, Neidzwick said she would consider starting a second group.
The group will meet for an hour at the library, twice a month.
“That’s the amount they recommend,” she said. “You can do it more often but not less because this frequency helps to foster the connection between the participants.”
Neidzwick said she hopes to have the group up and running by November. The group will meet twice a month with a new book to discuss each time.
The first book will be Five Minute True Stories: Animal Rescue by Aubre Andrus.
“It’ll be kids books with pictures,” she said. “I tried to make the subject matter interesting even if their reading abilities are higher than the book is.”
Neidzwick said she is still looking for participants to join the group for the first meetings. Those interested should call the library at 757-259-4055.
