Children's Sensory Room

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When is the Children’s Sensory Room Open?
A: The Children’s Sensory Room is primarily available by appointment. Appointments begin at the top of each hour, starting at 10am and ending one hour before closing.

Q: How do I make an appointment?
A: Call the Abingdon Library at 410-638-3990 to schedule an appointment. Walk-in appointments may be available during open hours. Inquiries can be made at the Customer Service Desk.

Q: How far in advance can I make an appointment?
A: Appointments can be made up to 2 weeks ahead of time.

Q: How long can visitors use the Children’s Sensory Room?
A: Appointments are for up to 45 minutes.

Q: How many people can the Children’s Sensory Room accommodate?
A: One to 3 families can make a shared appointment. The designated responsible adult should have names and ages of all people attending when calling to make an appointment. The Children’s Sensory Room accommodates approximately 10 people total.

Q: Who can use the Children’s Sensory Room?
A: The Children’s Sensory Room is a community resource for families of all ages. A parent or adult caregiver supervision is required at all times in the Sensory Room.

Q: What type of equipment is in the Children’s Sensory Room?
A: The room has several pieces of equipment and items to provide a sense of stimulation and relaxation through touch, light and sound, including Snoezelen bubble tubes, fiber optic array and lighting effects, a projection system, unique seating, textured panels, an interactive music panel, and specialized sensory kits.

Q: How will visitors know how to use the equipment?
A: All new visitors are required to have a short orientation at the beginning of their appointment. A librarian will provide basic equipment training during orientation. Use of sensory room equipment only as intended.

Q: How do you keep the Children’s Sensory Room clean?
A: To maintain an organized and tidy space, visitors are asked to put away items before ending their session. Additionally, the room is cleaned daily and visitors are encouraged to place items they feel need sanitizing in the bin located inside the room.

Q: May I borrow items from the Children’s Sensory Room?
A: All items must remain inside the sensory room. However, the Learning & Sharing Collection has many sensory items available for checkout.

Q: What other things should I know?
A: Use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices are not permitted in the sensory room. Be responsible and respectful by cleaning up and ending sessions on time. Report any concerns to Library staff before leaving. No food or drink is permitted in the sensory room.

Q: Is there an opportunity to volunteer in the Children’s Sensory Room?
A: While there are no volunteer opportunities for the sensory room, often times there are other opportunities at Abingdon Library. Additional information is available through the Volunteers page and by contacting the branch Volunteer Coordinator at 410-638-3990. We cannot guarantee there will be work available at all times and the library is under no obligation to accept volunteers.