Best Practices for Engaging Seniors at the Library
The population in the United States of people over 65 is increasing rapidly. The 2020 Census found that 1 in 6 people in the country were over 65, as compared to 1920 when 1 in 20 people were over 65.[1] Based on these statistics from the Census, it becomes clear that public libraries need to increase their awareness of the needs of their aging populations. Many of the core components of public library offerings can be conducive to the needs of older adults. Traditionally, public libraries offer materials for education, entertainment, and programs that foster community and a healthy sense of social belonging. However, public libraries can do more to gear these traditional offerings specifically toward seniors to accommodate their unique needs. While the movement towards public libraries being intentionally inclusive for their older patrons is gaining momentum, there is still room for growth and improvement. Library staff can draw inspiration and guidance from the documentation available from professional organizations like the American Library Association (ALA) and the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA).
ALA created a toolkit called Keys to Engaging Older Adults. Key points from the toolkit include:
● Understand your demographic: Demographic information is essential in planning library programs and services for all ages, and seniors are no exception! Learn more about your local aging community through research.
● Learn about relevant agencies: Many national organizations act as authorities on aging. Some examples are AARP, Area Agency on Aging,
American Society on Aging, National Council on Aging, U.S. Administration on Aging. Be sure to check for local agencies in your area, too.
● Engage with the community: Getting input and feedback directly from your older library users is essential in the early planning stages. This can take multiple forms, such as focus groups, surveys, informal conversations at service points, and inviting community leaders to provide input.
● Securing funding: Check with national, state, and local professional organizations for grants. Consider foundations, businesses, and nonprofits for additional funding opportunities.
● Partner: Seek out other organizations that have a similar mission. These include senior centers, long-term care facilities, and AARP chapters. Build strong, long-term community partnerships by encouraging regular meetings.
● Promote: Create print and digital media to promote your new programs and services. Place printed materials in focal points in your library and at gathering places in your community.
● Consider accessibility: Think about the needs of your senior library users before inviting them into your space. Visual, auditory, and spatial accessibility are great starting points. Acquire additional resources and equipment as necessary, and ensure your staff are trained to use them.
● Measure your success: Seek feedback from library users who engage with your new programs or services. Utilize simple surveys or a more formal evaluation process based on your library’s capacity and needs.
RUSA developed Guidelines for Library Services with 60+ Audiences: Best Practices. Significant areas of focus include:
● Staff training: Train staff on the different aspects of aging and how to foster an environment that is welcoming and inclusive for seniors.
● Information Services and Collections: Select at least one person on your Collections team to develop a collection for seniors and their caregivers. Expand your collection of large print materials. Consolidate relevant information from community and government agencies into an easily digestible format.
● Programming: Plan and execute programs based on feedback from senior library users. Programs that promote lifelong learning, are intergenerational or are founded on a partnership with a local agency on aging are great starting points.
● Technology: Consider how accessible your library’s technology is for people with hearing or visual impairments, or limited mobility and work to remove access barriers. Facilitate computer training opportunities in your library and at other community focal points.
● Outreach: Attend events in the community and promote library services. If time allows, regularly visit assisted living and retirement facilities to provide resources.
● Services to homebound and special populations: Offer to mail library materials to those who cannot visit the library in person. Partner with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled to increase the materials available to special populations.
● Facilities: Add comfortable seating areas where seniors can socialize. Put large print materials on accessible shelves. Provide seating in areas where prolonged standing may be required. Ensure signage is clear, visible, and can be seen from a wheelchair. Use at least a size 14 font for printed materials.
● Budgeting: Assess your current budget and determine what can be allocated for new materials, outreach, and services like books by mail delivery. Train staff in grant writing if needed in order to secure additional funding.
As put in an article from American Libraries magazine, “We have classes on parenting and job searching and all sorts of things, but there are not a lot of places to get classes on how to get older and how to do it well…” The foundational idea here is that libraries can be a
proponent of healthy aging. Library programming can enrich the lives of vulnerable populations, especially when it comes to aging well. We can be more intentional about having a positive impact on the physical, mental, and social health of the seniors in our library communities.
Reference
1. U.S. Census Bureau. (2023, May 25). U.S. older population grew from 2010 to 2020 at fastest rate since 1880 to 1890. Census.gov.
