Fingal Libraries Becomes JAM Card© Friendly

JAM Card© was created in 2012 by NOW Group participants, with learning difficulties and autism, who wanted a discreet way of communicating to others that they need ‘Just A Minute’ (JAM) of time / assistance in certain situations.

Fingal Libraries are delighted to announce that we are partnering with NOW Group, a social enterprise that supports people with learning difficulties and autism, to introduce the Jam Card service into all Fingal libraries. JAM Card© was created in 2012 by NOW Group participants, with learning difficulties and autism, who wanted a discreet way of communicating to others that they need ‘Just A Minute’ (JAM) of time / assistance in certain situations. It has since grown and developed into a card and app that is used by people with any communication difficulty.

The roll out of Jam Card© in Fingal Libraries was officially launched by the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Howard Mahony, at Malahide Library on Tuesday 25th October 2022. Members of Prosper Fingal, an organisation which provides services and supports to adults with an intellectual disability in North County Dublin, attended the launch.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Howard Mahony said: “Jam Card is a great initiative to assist communication for people who may need more time to deal with everyday events and situations. I am delighted to launch the roll out of this service in Fingal libraries”.

County Librarian, Betty Boardman, said: “Fingal Libraries have become JAM Card friendly to be responsive to the needs of people with communication difficulties. As part of the introduction of JAM Card, we have rolled out additional training for library staff to increase awareness of the barriers people with a communication difficulty may face and the steps we can take to improve their experience as service users”.

JAM Card© was originally developed for those with learning disabilities and difficulties, but it can also be used by anyone with a communication barrier. It has been widely embraced by people with Asperger’s or autism, those with a brain injury or people who otherwise feel self-conscious about their ability to effectively communicate when engaging with others. With over 110,000 JAM Card users and 10,000 app users, individuals presenting the card are asking for ‘Just A Minute’ of time and patience in a private, discreet, and easy way. It also provides an easy way for services and businesses to identify people with communication barriers and hidden disabilities to give them quality service based on their needs.