Every Tuesday morning, Elma Turner Library will hold a Quiet Hour to make the library more accessible for people who
find loud, busy spaces challenging.
Visitors will find computers off, sounds minimised, and artificial lights dimmed to make the library more welcoming for
people with hypersensitive conditions such as anxiety, autism, intellectual disabilities, dementia, or other
neurodiverse conditions.
“A modern library can have a lot going on, with kids, computers, loud sounds, and bright lights,” says Libraries Manager
Sarina Barron.
“We are making our library more welcoming for people with hypersensitive conditions by making it a less stimulating
environment for one hour each week.”
A spokesperson for the Nelson/Marlborough branch of Autism New Zealand, Marie McManaway, says Quiet Hour offers a great
opportunity for people with different needs to engage in the community.
“The Quiet Hour will be useful for families and carers of people with autism to go somewhere together and have a nice
experience. It’s important for people with autism to have a time each week which is designed for them to gain access to
the library collection and everything else the library has to offer.”
Quiet Hour will also include a sensory map that identifies any bright or noisy areas, so visitors know what to expect in
the library.
Mayor Rachel Reese says Quiet Hour is another innovative way of serving Nelson’s diverse community.
“Libraries are really important for our community as places to discover, learn, and create. It’s great that people with
autism, dementia, and other neurodiverse conditions will have a quiet, peaceful time to visit the library.” says Mayor
Reese.
All library visitors are welcome during Quiet Hour, and normal library services are available. However, it is a time
designed for people with different needs to visit, so library users are asked to please be respectful by switching off
phones and keeping the space quiet and welcoming for them.
The Quiet Hour will take place on Tuesday mornings, 9.30am - 10.30am from 8 March 2022. See www.nelsonpubliclibraries.co.nz for more details.
Marie McManaway of Autism New Zealand is available in Nelson and Marlborough to provide support, information, and
education on autism. Email Marie.McManaway@autismnz.org.nz.