Future Library Service to Baby Boomers

INTRODUCTION

About me: I am an Outreach Librarian at Queens Library’s Central Library. Earlier this year I attended two conferences on planning for the future with the needs of older people in mind; the first was an online conference in February and March 2008 on Creating Aging Friendly Communities, hosted by UC Berkeley’s Center for the Advanced Study of Aging Services and Community Strengths. I was also chosen to be a Fellow at the Lifelong Access Leadership Institute at UNC Chapel Hill in July, hosted by Libraries for the Future (LFF) in partnership with the UNC School of Information & Library Science and the UNC Institute on Aging. The purpose of this blog is to share some of the information, ideas, predictions and recommendations that came from those conferences and from my (future) further study on the subject.

WHO ARE BOOMERS?

The term ‘Baby Boomers’ is generally used to refer to Americans born in the years from 1947 through 1964 (approximately 76 million people), but in the past it used to refer to a smaller group, those born from 1947 to 1953-4 (the earlier group is sometimes called ‘Cohort #1’ and the later group, born from 1953-4 through 1964, is called ‘Cohort #2’). Among the things that were stressed at both conferences were the dramatic demographic changes that will happen in coming years/decades, and the need to plan communities and library services that will serve the needs of older adults.

SECTION I: SOME DEMOGRAPHICS AND PREDICTIONS

Some notable numbers and facts, on what the future holds:

· between now & 2050, the senior population will more than double, to 80 million
· there will be an increase in the number of “oldest old” (age 85+) and the number of people 100 years old or more
· more than 28% of Americans who are now age 65 are expected to reach age 90 (compared to 7% in 1940; this is expected to rise to 42% by 2050)
· it is well-known that women live longer than men; they are also more likely to live alone in their later years
· seniors in the United States are becoming more racially & ethnically diverse
· older adults are more likely to have disabilities
· there are many aspects of current and past design, of buildings, communities, and transportation, which won’t work for seniors in the future (for example, ‘Peter Pan’ housing, built for those who never grow old)


RETIREMENT

Some facts about Boomers, from the 2008 LFF Institute:

· they are likely to transform aging and retirement as they have transformed every other phase of life as they’ve gone through it
· they want and expect to remain active learners into their later years
· their sheer numbers and combined wealth have given them power, but there are some who believe Boomers are in denial about aging, their post-retirement financial needs, illness, disability and death, and are not preparing themselves adequately for their later years
· marketing to Boomers is likely to be ineffective if it uses any of terms that they believe do not apply to them (words and terms such as ‘older adults’, ‘seniors’, ‘elders’, ‘senior citizens’ etc.) – other methods are more likely to be successful in reaching this group, such as marketing to their interests rather than age
· they are likely to be more active - physically, socially and civically - than earlier generations of older adults
· they want meaningful activities following formal retirement, and these activities may fall anywhere on a continuum from part-time volunteering, to part-time paid work or occasional work for a stipend or honorarium, or even to full-time paid work
· many Boomers consider time more important than money
· Boomers can be valuable and enthusiastic volunteers in libraries – it is important, though, to define responsibilities clearly and to check references as carefully as if they were employees
· some Boomers may want to continue their education after retirement
· caregiving will place an increasing strain on younger old people (which includes many Boomers)

AGING AND HEALTH

Some good news, also from the LFF Institute, about aging and health;

· barring major illness, it is possible for seniors to continue to be active and learning for many years following retirement
· approximately 70% of health problems in seniors are from environment and lifestyle (approx. 30% is genetic)
· the top three causes of death in the United States for people 65+ are heart disease , cancer and stroke – for all three of these causes there are things the individual can do to reduce the risk, such as changing diet, exercising, and quitting smoking
· there are five factors necessary to keep the brain healthy:
o nutrition
o socialization
o physical activity
o mental stimulation
o spirituality

SECTION II: FUN FACTS

Fun fact: Activities which are new and challenging can help to keep the brain flexible and healthy. Examples of such activities:
· learning a new language
· learning to write with your non-dominant hand
· learning sign language
· learning to play a musical instrument
· travel
· games/puzzles
· learning a new craft or skill
· writing

SECTION III: IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LIBRARIES FOR THE FUTURE, FOR SERVING ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS http://www.lifelonglibraries.org/innov_inven.php INCLUDE :
· an advisory council of local Boomers/seniors
· referrals to meaningful work for seniors, either in the community or in the library
· partnering with local communities to promote healthy, active aging and reach older adults in the community
· dedicated library space, with collections and programs for older active adults
· dedicated library staff to serve older active adults
· intergenerational activities and programs
· job, career and life transition information for older adults
· programs and services promoting lifelong learning
· activities to promote public awareness and use of libraries for productive aging

Marketing, outreach, and input from local Boomers are crucial when planning programs and services for older active adults, to raise awareness and be sure that the proposed events and services are relevant, needed and useful for this targeted audience.

Sources/Further reading:
Croker,Richard. The Boomer Century, 1946-2046 : how America's most influential generation changed everything. 1st ed. New York, Boston: Springboard Press, 2007.

Flint, Suzanne. "Transforming Life After 50 in California - Update." October 17, 2008. http://lifelonglibraries.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/transforming-life-after-50-in- california-update/ (accessed October 25, 2008).

Green, Brent. Marketing to Leading-Edge Baby Boomers : Perceptions, Principles, Practices, Predictions. Ithaca, NY: Paramount Market Publishing, Inc., 2005.

Overly, Nanette. "Baby Boomers Seeking a Different Retirement Lifestyle – At Home” SeniorJournal.com (2007), http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Boomers/2007/7-03-08- BabyBoomersSeeking.htm (accessed October 25, 2008).

Schull, Diantha. "Library Services for a New Age: Transforming Libraries into Centers for Boomer Learning and Community." October 7, 2008. http://lifelonglibraries.wordpress.com/2008/10/07/library-services-for-a-new-age- transforming-libraries-into-centers-for-boomer-learning-and-community/ (accessed October 25, 2008).

What programs are you planning for Boomers at your library? What has worked and what hasn’t worked in the past?