Plano has earned global recognition for giving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities real, paid work experience inside its public libraries. The City's Plano Library Work-Experience Program won the International City/County Management Association's Community Equity and Inclusion Award, one of the most respected distinctions a local government can receive for advancing fairness and quality of life.

Launched by Plano Public Library in 2021, the program places participants in working library roles alongside trained job coaches and library staff mentors. Participants process inventory, organize donated materials, prepare program supplies, support library events, and maintain public spaces, all while developing teamwork, communication, and time-management skills. The program runs in 9 to 12-week cycles at multiple library locations through partnerships with My Possibilities, LifePath Systems, and Plano ISD's Solomon Adult Transition Center.

More Than 30 Adults Served Since 2021

Since launch, more than 30 adults have completed the program, contributing approximately 1,200 hours of service valued at $41,748 in operational support to the library system. Graduates have gone on to secure employment in retail, museums, food service, and hospital environmental services. Others have continued serving the library as volunteers.

City Manager Mark Israelson captured the program's intent plainly: "Meaningful work has the power to build confidence, independence and a sense of belonging." That statement holds up against the results. This is not a symbolic initiative. It is structured job training embedded in a real public institution, producing real employment outcomes.

A High Bar for Plano's Excellence Standard

The program also raises the capability of library staff. Employees who volunteer as Advocate Team mentors receive training in Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, adaptive communication strategies, and inclusive task design. One library employee shared that the training helped her create a welcoming experience for an adult with autism attending a library program. That ripple effect - staff better equipped to serve every patron in the building - is part of what makes this program worth noting beyond the award itself.

Plano's broader standing on disability inclusion reinforces the context. A 2025 national WalletHub study ranked Plano first in economic opportunity and fifth nationally for employment rates among people with disabilities. The Work-Experience Program did not create that standing on its own, but it reflects the same civic commitment that built it.

For families in Plano who have a loved one with an intellectual or developmental disability, this program represents a real pathway. Partners like My Possibilities and LifePath Systems bring specialized support, and the Plano ISD Solomon Adult Transition Center connects the program directly to students preparing for life after school. This is the kind of coordinated, community-embedded approach that earns the City of Excellence standard its weight.

Visit the City of Plano's Work-Experience Program page to learn more about how the program works and how families can connect with partner organizations.