Tompkins County Public Library, in partnership with WSKG, will host special sensory-friendly screenings of the PBS Kids show, “Carl the Collector” on Wednesday, April 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

“Carl the Collector” is a cartoon series about Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon, who solves problems alongside his neurodivergent friends in Fuzzytown. Screenings will have limited group sizes, with sign-ups available at check-in on a first-come, first-served basis.

“TCPL Youth Services is excited to connect families with local resources and supportive organizations,” said Kat Savage, head of Tompkins County Public Library’s Youth Services Department. “‘Carl the Collector’ is the first animated series that centers an autistic main character, and we're thrilled to be able to partner with WSKG on this inclusive event for all families.”

In addition to the free screenings, the event will also feature community resource tables, and give those in attendance a chance to engage in crafts and celebrate neurodiversity.

The following groups will be on hand to offer information and resources:

• Healthy Families Schuyler/ Tompkins
• Racker
• Finger Lakes Independence Center
• MHA Family Peer Support
• Tompkins County Whole Health Department

The TCPL Youth Services area includes a sensory station stocked with weighted lap pads, noise-cancelling earmuffs, fidgets and other sensory tools.

The April 16 screenings will take place in TCPL’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room, inside the Library’s location at 101 East Green St. in Ithaca.

While no registration is required, families with questions about accessibility can contact Youth Services Department Head Kat Savage at ksavage@tcpl.org.  

“Carl the Collector” episodes air on WSKG HDTV weekdays at 8:30 a.m. and stream any time on pbskids.org.