REACHING OUT THE LIBRARY AND THE EXCEPTIONAL CHILD

Description: This 24-minute educational film explores how public libraries can serve children with physical and mental handicaps — referred to as "exceptional children" — who face unusual barriers to learning and development. The transcript opens with a poetic narration about how all children naturally reach out to grasp the world, but for children with handicaps, this reaching out is "exceptionally difficult," threatening to consign them to "isolation, frustration, a meager and unfulfilled existence." The film then asks to what extent books, records, and films can help exceptional children reach out and grow, positioning the library as a vital bridge between these children and the wider world. Visually the thumbnail suggests a mid-1960s to early 1970s production, consistent with the era's growing awareness of disability rights and inclusive education.