Missoula library program creates space for adults and teens with disabilities

MISSOULA, Mont. — A program at the Missoula Public Library brings teens and adults with disabilities together for stories, conversation and group activities.

Youth Services Specialist Dana McMurray has helped build the program for nearly 10 years. The library said the goal is to create a place where people can connect, laugh, read and feel included.

“It’s just heartwarming. It’s pretty cool to have people happy to see you, engaged in the activities and then say at the end, ‘Two weeks we’re going to be back in two weeks,’” McMurray said.

McMurray said the group includes people with different physical and sensory needs as well as different mental abilities.

“It’s a very sweet group. They’re very fun people,” McMurray said. “We’ve got people who are blind, people who can’t hear well, people who are in wheelchairs, but they’re still pretty capable mentally, people who are perfectly fine physically but mentally, not,” she said.

Participants said the program gives them a chance to talk with others and spend time with friends at the Missoula library.

“What is your favorite part about being able to, you know, have all these conversations? Happy. You’re happy? Yeah. And then you leave here with a lot of joy for the rest of your day. Yeah,” Donovan Peacock said.

“I’m very excited when I come to story time. I like hearing the stories. Yeah. And then I like. I like coming to hang out with my friends here,” Shauna Rogers said.

McMurray said the program helps people listen to stories, interact with each other and spend time in the library.

“It gets them listening to stories, it gets them interacting with each other, and I think it’s just it’s fun for them to be in the library. It’s just one more place to go,” McMurray said.

The story also said other libraries across Montana have created inclusive programs and story times for people with disabilities and sensory needs.

Participants said the program helped them meet people and stay social.

“I love to, I like to talk to everybody,” Barbra Beuscher said.

“I know them, they’re getting to know me. And it’s good to meet new people,” Patrick Jones said.

McMurray said she wants the program to remain open to the community and continue reaching people with a wide range of disabilities.

“I just like it to be open to the community. That it’s public, yeah, it is public, and more people can come, and it is a wide range of disabilities,” McMurray said.