Sensory Friendly Spaces in Academia: Accessibility Driven Work at the UW Tacoma Library

During the 24-25 academic Year, the UW Tacoma Library piloted a Sensory-Friendly Space to address the barriers faced by neurodivergent students, promote accessibility, and create a genuine space of joy, respite, and belonging. This presentation focuses on the process of creating the space, the resources it provides to students, and how it has evolved to adapt to the needs of the neurodiverse community. In addition to logistics, we will reflect on the philosophies and values that ground and inspire our work and connect the Sensory-Friendly Space to accessibility within academia.