Some students and visitors who go to the library of the CSU East Bay campus say they are unaware of what autism is despite a prominent display to the right of the main entrance to the library commemorating World Autism Awareness during the month of April.

“It is almost three weeks into the month of April and there have been no queries about autism,” said front desk employee Tom Bickley. “I would prefer to believe that students are overwhelmed with assignments leaving them no time to engage in campus events.”

Bickley believes that researchers have made significant inroads into the subject of autism and believes that the library has copious information on autism.
According to him, “The subject of autism is being researched in a very aggressive way.”

“Researchers have found that autism in children is linked to the health of mothers during pregnancy,” said Bickley.

The library felt that as an institution of higher learning, students studying science at CSUEB would hasten to the library to investigate the recent research finding.

In discussing this lack of enthusiasm on the part of the students, Chang Yang, CSUEB graduate who is now employed at the library, agrees that, “students do not come into tvhe library for information on autism.”

Current students who attend CSUEB see a role for combining their research work with the rich information that the library provides.

“Professors should target such events such as autism awareness and work in collaboration with the library on research assignments that look into an area like autism,” current student Theresa Ma explained.

“The fact that research is advancing in the area of autism is a very good reason for integrating CSUEB students’ own research in this field,” said CSUEB student Shingo Hanawa. “Professors in the area of science could use the information to conduct observations on pregnant women following their health throughout the term of pregnancy.”

While visiting CSUEB Cathy Satib, who is currently a high school teacher at James Logan High School saw the event as a possible way for different schools to work together.

“I see the possibility of collaboration between the science department in a high school and the library at CSUEB,” said Satib, “This partnership could be very important in allowing high school students to develop an interest in research and a desire to do undergraduate work at CSUEB.”

“I see no reason why we could not involve high school students in a more direct way in how they view a university library,” she went on to further explain.

A simple anonymous questionnaire was formulated to survey a few students on their understanding of the terminology, autism. Surprisingly, the result coincided with Yang’s observation that hardly any students visit the library to inquire about autism.

“The fact is I believe they are very unaware of the subject and that’s why they do not come to the library to investigate it,” said Yang.