One of the newest amenities to come to Rowan County is open in the form of a new sensory friendly space at the Rowan County Public Library. Called the Sensory Room, it was tailored to be a calming space where anyone of any age can go to take a breather.
It’s hard to list everything the room has to offer, but Morgan Mullins, Communications Manager for the library, gave it a try.
“The room is painted in calming colors, we have curtains over the windows which of course can be opened, but that way, since the lights can be dimmed, it can create that quiet, calming environment that some people prefer to have,” said Mullins. “We also have what they call a popcorn or snow tube, where particles are blown up through the center and then fall back down the outside of it, it changes colors. We have a calming corner with a soft beanbag chair and a color changing mirror. We have light panels that go on and off as you tap them, a ball pit, a kinetic sculpture, a body roller, all kinds of stuff. Including weighted stuffed animals, I think is one of the things that’s probably going to be best received by a lot of the kids.”
Mullins said the library has had requests for such a space for years.
“We have had requests in the past for a space where people can just kind of go for a second, maybe when kids, during programs, get too overstimulated, that sort of thing where you just need some quiet time,” said Mullins.
So how did the library come to be able to build this space? Mullins said it was the brainchild of Ronald Lowe, Programing Assistant at the library.
“I wrote a grant, a $10,000 grant, and I was really lucky to receive it. And with that I had a community talk to try and gauge the community and see what their needs would be for this type of room, and just waves and waves of overwhelmingly positive and grateful messages,” said Lowe.
Lowe said he used feedback from parents, community members, and mental health professionals to hand pick each and every item in the space, even painting the walls himself to help achieve his vision. But he said he didn’t do it for the recognition, he did this because he wanted everyone to feel welcome at the library.
“I want them to have a place where they can be safe and work through whatever they need to work through no matter their background,” said Lowe.
Jess Arnett-Brock, Program Coordinator for the library, said the main goal of the library is, and always has been, to serve the people of the region, no matter who they are or where they are from.
“To be able to provide this here for people that live in our county is wonderful, but it’s also for people that live in a smaller county that don’t have as many options at their library,” said Arnett-Brock. “We are the library that they come to; we have a lot of patrons from outside counties. We don’t charge for a library card, even if you’re not a Rowan County citizen.”
Morgan Mullins said one thing he and others work on is adjusting the idea of the identity of the public library. He said traditionally libraries have been seen as quiet, academic spaces, but said this has become less true as academic and public libraries have diverged.
“Public libraries have started to fill in the open space that’s kind of been left behind by the traditional community center, and so that means that we need to do the things that a community center does,” said Mullins. “So, we’re not just providing information, we’re not just providing entertainment and leisure, we are also providing a space for people to gather, we’re providing a space for people to feel welcome, we’re providing a space where people can access things they otherwise could not.”
At the end of the day, however, Ronald Lowe said he’s just happy to be able to bring needed programs and resources to the people of the region.
“When there are so little resources in your area, eventually somebody’s going to have to take that step forward,” said Lowe.
While the ribbon has been cut on the new sensory room, Jess Arnett-Brock said the library isn’t done yet when it comes to bringing opportunities to the region.
“Be on the watch for what your Rowan County Public Library has coming.”
The Rowan County Public Library is an underwriting partner of WMKY.