The Work-Experience Program has helped over 30 adults gain job skills and land employment

Plano is picking up praise on the world stage for a library initiative that’s been changing lives since 2021. The International City/County Management Association has given the city’s Work-Experience Program for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities its Community Equity and Inclusion Award, a distinction reserved for local government efforts that push the needle on fairness and everyday quality of life.

Plano Public Library started the initiative with a simple idea of giving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities an actual workplace to learn in, not a simulated one. The library teamed up with My Possibilities, LifePath Systems and Plano ISD’s Solomon Adult Transition Center to make that happen, and together they’ve built a pipeline where participants pick up real job skills while helping keep the library running day to day.

How It Works

Each session runs 9 to 12 weeks and takes place across several library branches. Participants work side by side with job coaches and staff mentors, taking on tasks like sorting inventory, sorting through donated materials, getting supplies ready for programs, lending a hand at library events and keeping public areas tidy. Along the way, they’re building the kind of skills that matter in any job, like working with others, communicating clearly and managing time.

Library employees who sign up for the program’s Advocate Team mentor role go through training covering Americans with Disabilities Act standards, communication techniques suited to different needs, and how to design tasks inclusively. That training has paid off in staff confidence when working with neurodiverse patrons.

The Numbers Behind The Impact

More than 30 adults have made it through the program so far, logging around 1,200 hours of work that translates to roughly $41,748 in operational value for the library. That’s not the whole story, though. A number of graduates have landed paying jobs in fields like retail, museums, food service and hospital environmental services, and others have chosen to stick around the library as volunteers.

“Meaningful work has the power to build confidence, independence and a sense of belonging,” City Manager Mark Israelson said in an official statement. “This program reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for adults with disabilities while helping our employees learn how to better serve every member of our community.”

Part Of A Bigger Pattern In Plano

This award doesn’t stand alone. It fits into a wider track record Plano has built around accessibility. A 2025 WalletHub study placed Plano among the top disability-friendly cities nationwide, ranking it first in the country for economic opportunity and fifth for employment rates among people with disabilities.

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