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Surfing the Senior
Tsunami
Serving Seniors in the Public Library

The Hype
 “Senior Tsunami”
 “Age Wave”
 “Graying of the Population”
 “Baby Boomers Come of Age”

The Reality
 Three Senior Generations
 Baby Boomers: 65 and younger
 Older Adults: Ages 65-85
 Elderly: Ages 85-105
 Ethnically Diverse
 By 2030, 25% of the older population will be
minorities.

Baby Boomers
 Baby Boomer Cohort #1
 Born between 1946 and 1955
 Epitomized the cultural change of the sixties
 Key characteristics: experimental, individualism, free
spirited, social cause oriented
 Beginning to age into “Senior” Category
 Baby Boomer Cohort #2
 “Generation Jones”
 Born between 1956 and 1964
 Key characteristics: less optimistic, distrust of
government, general cynicism

Silent Generation
 Born between 1923 to
1943
 Between the wars
 Came of age just too
late to be war heroes
and just too early to
be youthful free
spirits.

GI Generation
 Born between 1901–
1924
 Influenced by Great
Depression
 Fought in both World
Wars
 Built foundation for
modern, suburban
America.

Facets of Aging

“Age is an issue of mind over matter.
If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”
Mark Twain

Potential Challenges
 Decreased Mobility
 Decreased Hearing and/or Eyesight
 Health issues
 Adults ages 65 and older:
 1 in 4 report experiencing memory loss
 1 in 5 report they have a serious illness, are not
sexually active, or often feel sad or depressed
 1 in 6 report they are lonely or have trouble paying
bills.
 1 in 7 report they cannot drive
 1 in 10 report they feel they aren't needed or are a
burden to others.

Principles for Older Persons
 Independence
 Participation
 Care
 Self-Fulfillment
 Dignity

Stellar Library Service
 Attitude
 Understanding
 Patience
 Respect
 Partnering

Know Your Community

The aging process has you firmly in its
grasp if you never get the urge to throw a
snowball
Doug Larson

Ask Yourself…
 What are the projections for the aging of
your community in 5, 10, or 15 years?
 Do you know how many seniors use your
library?
 How many seniors in your community
have library cards?
 How many attend programs?

Planning
 Senior Advisory Boards
 Create ownership
 Build Support
 User-centered change
 Survey your community
 Opportunities for partnering

Develop a Plan
 Inventory current services
 Assign dedicated staff (if feasible)
 Include in your budgeting process

 Library services are not the same from
ages 18-108!

Senior Spaces

Everyone is the age of their heart.
Guatemalan Proverb

Dedicated Space
 Children’s Area √
 Teen Area √
 Senior Area?

Senior Spaces
 Quiet & Comfortable
 Accessible
 Destination
 Brain Fitness

Senior Collections

Youth is a disease from which we all
recover.
Dorothy Fulheim

Dedicated Collection
 Three generations
 Different interests & needs
 Modified Dewey
 Easy, browsing format
 Focus on patrons
 Large Print
 AV, E-Books, Downloadable Audiobooks

Areas of Emphasis
 Consumer Health
 Genealogy
 Employment
 Retirement
 Finances
 Issues of Caregiving
 Computers
 Hobbies

Senior Programming

The key to successful aging is to pay
as little attention to it as possible.
Judith Regan

Programming
 Day, Afternoon, Evening, & Weekends
 Ask your advisory board!
 Variety
 Intergenerational
 Engaging
 Creative
 Timely
 Nostalgic
 Hands-On / Participatory

Sample Programs
 Movies
 Book Clubs
 Senior Travel Series
 BiFOLKal kits
 Senior-led presentations
 Expertise
 Hobbies
 Art classes, crafting
 Gardening, cooking, sewing, etc.
 Storytelling
 Nostalgia

Discussions
 “Socrates Café”
 Open discussion on pre-determined topics
 Goal is discussion, not agreement
 Attendees can agree or disagree
 Intergenerational discussions
 Give seniors a voice!

Gaming
 Technology confidence
 Hand/eye coordination
 Brain health
 Social interaction
 Intergenerational bonding
 Easy outreach programs

Senior Technology

We've put more effort into helping folks
reach old age than into helping them enjoy
it.
Frank A. Clark

Technology Classes
 Basics of Computing
 E-Bay
 Consumer Health
 Photography

2.0 Technology
 Web Searching
 cRANKy.com
 Blogging
 Social Networking
 Eons
 Downloading E-Books and MP3s
 Twitter, FB, Texting
 Could be taught by teens

Senior Marketing

It's sad to grow old, but nice to ripen.
Brigitte Bardot

Traditional
 Newsletters
 Newspapers
 Church / Synagogue Bulletins
 Radio

 Appeals to Older Adults and Elderly

Modern
 Websites
 Email Newsletters
 Social Networking
 Text / Mobile Marketing

 Appeals to Boomers

Phrasing
 Don’t have to say “senior” in marketing
 Age Neutral
 Graphics to show desired audience

Local Connections

Grandchildren don't make a man feel old;
it's the knowledge that he's married to a
grandmother.
G. Norman Collie

Collaboration
 Senior Community Fair
 Opportunity to spotlight services and
organizations
 Great beginning for Advisory Board

Cross Marketing
 Trade newsletter space with other
organizations
 Senior Centers
 Clubs
 Don’t forget Outreach!
 Leave the library and go talk to people

Agencies Providing
Services on Aging
None are so old as those who have
outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David Thoreau

Indiana Agencies
 Family and Social Services, Division on
Aging
 http://www.in.gov/fssa/2329.htm
 Includes listing of regional agencies
 Indiana Association of Homes and
Services for the Aging
 http://www.iahsa.com/
 Indiana Association of Area Agencies on
Aging
 http://www.iaaaa.org/

National Organizations
 American Association of Retired Persons
 www.aarp.org
 Federal Administration on Aging
 http://www.aoa.gov/
 EPA Age Initiative
 http://www.epa.gov/aging/

Resources

The years between fifty and seventy are the
hardest. You are always being asked to do more,
and you are not yet decrepit enough to turn them
down.
T.S. Eliot, quoted in Time, 23 October 1950

Senior Spaces
 Old Bridge Public Library, NJ
 http://www.infolink.org/seniorspaces/diy/index.htm
 Tempe Public Library, AZ
 http://www.tempeconnections.org/
 Peabody Public Library, MA
 http://www.peabodylibrary.org/ptp/photos.html
 Mary L Cook Public Library, OH
 http://www.mlcook.lib.oh.us/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=64&Itemid=8
2

Sources
 Kleiman, Allan. Serving Seniors With Panache, Lyrasis Workshop, October
26, 2009.
 http://www.infolink.org/seniorspaces/index.htm
 Kleiman, Allan. Senior Spaces: The Library Place for Baby Boomers, Older
Adults & Their Families. World Library And Information Congress: 74th
IFLA General Conference And Council, 10-14 August 2008. Québec, Canada
http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla74/index.htm
 Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality. June 29, 2009.
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1269/aging-survey-expectations-versus-reality
 LifeCourse Associates, http://www.lifecourse.com/mi/insight/insight-
overview.html
 Serving Seniors: A Resource Manual for Missouri Libraries.
http://www.sos.mo.gov/library/development/services/seniors/manual/
11/1/2009
 Wikipedia, Baby Boomers, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_boomer
 Librarian Live Podcast, http://librarianlive.libsyn.com/ (July 2009)
 http://www.myavatareditor.com/

Websites
 Transforming Life After 50
http://www.transforminglifeafter50.org/
Project through California State Library
 Intergenerational Center at Temple
University
http://www.templecil.org/

Thank You!

Shauna Borger
Indiana State Library
Professional Development Office
sborger@library.in.gov

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Serving Seniors in the Public Library

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