As the new librarian in UHS, I discovered that the special-needs students were underserved by the school library. Throughout my first year, I sought to change this and worked with several special-ed teachers to help the library better meet the needs of this group.

One student in particular has benefited from the inclusion of special needs students in the library. He is a 16-year-old autistic boy with communication deficits. His teachers told me that whenever he tried to write, the words would look like gibberish. When they tried to help him, he would get angry and fight them. He did enjoy drawing, and often drew random pictures. Once he started coming into the library regularly to check out books, he discovered graphic novels. According to one teacher, this brought about a profound change in him. Whereas he was previously unable to coherently express himself, the graphic novels opened up his world. He began to draw clearly defined scenes. Then he started to draw comic-style cells with dialog. When his teachers offered to help him with spelling or grammar, he willingly accepted their help. His drawings now tell stories.