User-friendly software for seniors?

A good article in today's Globe and Mail, there may be a place in libraries for this new software, and the price is right. It makes sense to have seniors teaching seniors.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081215.wINCsoftshell1215/BNStory/incubator/home 

Article on Adults and Gaming

Last post today - I promise!

Check out the link below to an interesting report on Adults and gaming!

http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/269/report_display.asp

An Interesting Article

Me again - see link below for another article on Older Adults and libraries!

http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/saturday/act2/ny-act2spd5945417nov29,0,7713560.story

Transforming Life After 50 Institute

Hello all! Check out this link to all of the presentations from the "Transforming Life After 50 Institute" held by the California State Library in Nov. 2007. ( I just got the link recently in a SeniorServ e-mail ). Lot of info. about the Boomers and libraries!

http://www.library.ca.gov/lds/tlaf.html

Here is another link to a webcast around the same topic.

http://infopeople.org/training/webcasts/webcast_data/276/index.html

Just a test!

Just a test to see if I still can edit the blog!

Participate in CLA Conference Planning!

The CLA Conference Programming Committee is seeking two volunteer
representatives from the Interest Groups to participate on the
conference committee. The 2009 CLA conference is in Montreal May 29 -
June 1. Each CLA division also has a conference planner, and there are
two Co-Chairs for the committee. The planning team seeks people with
the following skills/background:
- Interested in conference planning.
- An understanding of a broad range of issues within the library
sector, and familiar with CLA's Interest Groups. A list of Interest
Groups is on CLA's website.
- Some knowledge of people who are library experts/leaders/emerging leaders.
- Strong organizational skills.
What is involved?
This is a two conference commitment with most work occurring in
October/November based on the following timelines:
August - November:
- Communicating with Interest Groups (e-mail primarily) to solicit
program proposals. An online form will be available with instructions
for proposers and the planning team will be able to view submissions
online to get a sense of how the program is developing. CLA office
will also be sending communiques to the membership about submitting
proposals.
- One or two teleconference calls.
- Some program development with proposers as needed (for example,
answering questions, assisting with session descriptions if required,
etc.)
- Review of proposals in advance of the November meeting.
- Attendance at an onsite (Ottawa) conference planning meeting
November 15-16 (date to be confirmed and expenses covered). This
meeting will confirm the conference program via selection/rejection of
proposals based on criteria. The program committee is responsible for
the overall look and feel and balance of the program, but each
representative will ensure that the issues from their respective CLA
units are also reflected in the programming.
- Follow up with proposers with the status of the session (accepted or not).
The planning team is featured in the conference program and at
conference. Conference planning is an excellent way to develop
planning skills, meet peers outside of your current professional
sphere, and to be a part of enhancing your profession (plus is great
to add to your resume file!).
Please send an e-mail to wwalton@cla.ca by August 15 with your
expression of interest, plus a paragraph or two about why you are
interested in joining the team, and any relevant background.

There's a Place for Us: CLA Session Notes

There’s a Place For Us: Notes

Chris Middlemass, a Public Services Manager for Vancouver Public Library, was kind enough to share her notes from the recent CLA session with Allan Kleiman and Christina Pottie.

Social Networking for Seniors – Allan Kleiman

• Social networking for seniors not fully present yet.
  
• Lots of competition for the baby boomers’ attention, but they are still working (no time), and their interests not fully represented yet
  
• AARP, Seniornet, Red Hat Society, ThirdAge increasingly have discussion/comment features. These seem very empty – can’t get figures on membership, etc. -- suspect not a huge membership, as their revenues are more based on advertising.
  
• Cranky.com – simple interface, targeting seniors – first age-relevant search engine
  
• Eldr.com – new magazine, larger print format, lots of white space
  
• Senior blogs- great way to connect people, keep mind active, experience the joy of “publishing” – 3% of online seniors have blogs!
  
• Ageless Project – blogs by “age”
  

Senior Spaces Project at the Old Bridge (NJ) Public Library (Kleiman):

• New era in library services, opened on June 8, 2007
  
• Spaces for special age groups, hence, seniors not a new concept
  
• Wanted space to serve 3 generations of seniors – boomers, older adults, elderly
  
• Space with books and reading at the core
  
• Self-paced learning – DVD players, etc.
  
• Opportunity to gather/chat/take a class, etc.
  
• Funding from different sources -- $30,000 spent on the physical space – can start small! Started just by changing the colour of the area, and got furniture that blended with the library
  
• Accessibility – adjustable wheelchair tables, 2 wide screen computers for easier viewing – NO rocking chairs!
  
• Be prepared to move stuff around to get in right
  
• Develop a nice “merchandisable” name
  
• Don’t do alone – have an advisory group – library users (power users) who will give you great information (versus ongoing surveys)
  
• Optelec heavily used
  
• Merchandize shelving “Your Special Needs”
  
• Check out www.seniorspaces.blogspot.com for a flavour of the great things they are doing
  

Programming at the Old Bridge (NJ) Public Library:

• Seniors Fridays – ½ done by the Seniors Services Librarian
  
• Gaming – Nintendo Wii is the hottest thing in town – teens trained the seniors – best idea – seniors loved working with the teens, etc. Regular Wii sessions, including 1-1 training!
  
• Opportunity to share experiences with older adults that is different from what they normally would do – exposure to social networking sites, etc.
  
• Seniors spaces is the catalyst!
  

South Shore Public Libraries: Christina Pottie

• Nova Scotia – counties all very important, politics, etc.
  
• South Shore Regional Library - Encompasses 2 counties which presents some challenges
  
• Large senior population – 15% of population are over 65 years, programs are proven to draw seniors into the library
  
• Seniors Library Café – open on “closed” Mondays. Full services, programs for users aged 55 and over, other branches offer different approaches
  
• the Café - facilitated by staff- you do need staff support
  
• eventually becomes self-directed – participants generate programs and ideas
  take into account competing programs - coordinate
  
• exploit local talent
  
• advertise – get out of the library
  
• have refreshments!
  
• Successful program – sharing letters from WWII
  

Why go to this effort?

• Increased membership
  
• Draws a different crowd
  
• Develop new partnerships
  
• Publicity for the library
  

Indirect benefits

• Good will
  
• Advocacy
  
• Community development
  
• Able to start a friends program
  

Computer training

• Adapt to different branch layouts and access to equipment
  
• Evolved to a 4-week session to bring people along who are beginners
  
• Advertise, be flexible
  
• Collect anecdotal comments
  
• Evaluate
  
• Local knowledge is important
  
• Be aware of competing with local agencies who do training for a fee
  

Questions:

• What’s special as libraries? We build a closer bond with our users, especially the seniors
  
• Fuzzy line with overlap with community centre programs – 75% of seniors are “unaffiliated” – this is a large group! Idea is that we’re providing options that complement, not compete with others. Possibility of sharing programming/programmers
  
• Use blogs for memory writing – local teens get volunteer credits for summer work, etc. Teens to help do the blog (e.g. creating, typing etc.)
  
• Suggestion: find large print keyboards
  

Article on Large Print Books

If you haven't seen it yet, Publisher's Weekly (May 19, 2008) had a great article on trends in large print publishing.

Congratulations, Oshawa Public Library!

Oshawa Public Library is this year's recipient of the W. Kaye Lamb Award for Services to Seniors! The following is the media release from CLA. Congratulations!

Winner of the W. Kaye Lamb Award for Service to Seniors Announced
(Ottawa, May 2, 2008) – Oshawa Public Library has been named the winner of the W. Kaye Lamb Award for Service to Seniors. This award recognizes a library that has developed an ongoing service, programme or a procedure of benefit to seniors and/or a design and organization of buildings or facilities that improve access and encourage use by seniors. It is jointly sponsored by the Ex Libris Association and the Canadian Library Association/Association canadienne des bibliothèques.
The awards committee chose Oshawa Public Library for its partnership with the OshawaSenior Citizens Centre and the establishment of a joint Seniors’ Advisory Group which has enabled both partners to develop a wide variety of programmes. These programmes have appeal to the active Senior/Boomer group and also reach out to those with cognitive disabilities such as Alzheimer’s disease. The programmes developed have also been used by other libraries in the area. The co-operation with other groups in the community can easily be adopted by any size of library, and the programmes themselves use the skills of the library’s staff in their development.
The award presentation will be made at the CLA/ACB 2008 National Conference & Trade Show in Vancouver, BC on May 24.
The Canadian Library Association/Association canadienne des bibliothèques is Canada’s largest national and broad-based library association, representing the interests of public, academic, school and special libraries, professional librarians and library workers, and all those concerned about enhancing the quality of life of Canadians through information and literacy.
The Ex Libris Association is a Canadian national association of individuals interested in historical and current issues about archives, libraries, museums, publishing house and related institutions and the people working in them.
-- 30 --
Media Contact: Janet Jacobson, President, Ex Libris Association,Email: jdgj@rogers.com

Annual Meeting Reminder

CLA Interest Group Networking Breakfast
Library and Information Services to Older People
Annual Meeting Friday May 23, 2008
7:30-8: 30 am
Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel

Draft Agenda
· Welcome and Agenda
· New convenor, Heather MacKenzie
· Interest group Budget Update - plans for next year?
· Blog and listserv
· Open Discussion
· Early adjournment to catch our sponsored session “There’s A Place for Us”

Large Print Best Practices for All Libraries and Readers

Thorndike Press recently sponsored a Best Practices Webcast for large print books. If you missed the session held on April 29th, the event is available for the next 12 months.

Course on Information Resources for an Aging World

This came via a post by the University of British Columbia's School of Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS). While only SLAIS students seem to be the only ones able to register, the course information sounds very interesting indeed:

Information Resources, Services and Technology for an Aging World
This term-long, 3-credit online-only course will focus on collection development, reference, and education services for older adults, and their professional and family caregivers. The course will cover the critical evaluation of materials in print, non-print, and electronic formats, and a discussion of information services provided by healthcare organizations, community agencies, medical center and hospital libraries,public libraries which serve an aging population, and academic libraries serving students in the helping professions. This course is especially appropriate for those interested in working in medical and public libraries, healthcare organizations, community agencies, and academic libraries which students intending careers in the helping or service professions, especially in fields that focus on older people.
Institution: The University of Pittsburgh
Class Number:LIS 2970
Total number of WISE seats available for students in all WISE institutions: 5
Faculty: Ellen Detlefsen
Course Tool: Blackboard
Start Date: 5/12/2008
End Date: 8/2/2008
Last Add Date:5/19/2008
Syllabus Link: coming soon