ALA 2012 Annual ALA 2012 Annual ConferenceConference

How Libraries Are How Libraries Are Serving the Serving the Evolving Needs of Evolving Needs of Baby Boomers Baby Boomers and Older Adults and Older Adults

Sponsors of This Sponsors of This WorkshopWorkshop

RUSA RSS Committee on Library RUSA RSS Committee on Library Services to an Aging Population Services to an Aging Population (Jeffrey Kempe, Chair)(Jeffrey Kempe, Chair)

ALTAFFALTAFF

ASCLAASCLA

PLAPLA

OLOSOLOS

RUSARUSA

Workshop PresentersWorkshop Presenters

Tony Sarmiento, Executive Director, Tony Sarmiento, Executive Director, Senior Service America, Inc.Senior Service America, Inc.

Susan Hildreth, Director, Institute of Susan Hildreth, Director, Institute of Museum and Library Services Museum and Library Services

Suzanne Flint, Library Programs Suzanne Flint, Library Programs Consultant, California State LibraryConsultant, California State Library

Jane Salisbury, Supervisor, Library Jane Salisbury, Supervisor, Library Outreach Services, Multnomah Outreach Services, Multnomah County LibraryCounty Library

Focus of This Focus of This WorkshopWorkshop Baby Boomers and Older Baby Boomers and Older Americans today are the most Americans today are the most diverse community of aging diverse community of aging adults in history. adults in history. Learn how Learn how libraries are reaching these populations, libraries are reaching these populations, with attention to the 2008 RUSA with attention to the 2008 RUSA Guidelines on Library and Information Guidelines on Library and Information Services to Older Adults. Explore how Services to Older Adults. Explore how libraries can best respond to the needs of libraries can best respond to the needs of Boomers and older adults through Boomers and older adults through programs, collections, and services, programs, collections, and services, including responses to the current including responses to the current economic downturn.economic downturn.

The Segal Company: “The The Segal Company: “The Aging of Aquarius” (2001)Aging of Aquarius” (2001)

Is there a profile of a “typical” Is there a profile of a “typical” boomer? boomer?

No. Despite popular perception of No. Despite popular perception of similarities among boomers, similarities among boomers, including the amusing stereotype of including the amusing stereotype of an affluent, gray-haired former an affluent, gray-haired former hippie, the baby boom generation is hippie, the baby boom generation is extremely diverse.extremely diverse.

Is there a profile of a Is there a profile of a “typical” boomer? “typical” boomer?

“ “A 20-year period can encompass more A 20-year period can encompass more than one generation, particularly if a than one generation, particularly if a generation is defined as groups of people generation is defined as groups of people with shared experiences, similar attitudes with shared experiences, similar attitudes and the same cultural touchstones. Older and the same cultural touchstones. Older boomers’ formative years were the boomers’ formative years were the turbulent sixties and early seventies, the turbulent sixties and early seventies, the era of the Civil Rights and Women’s era of the Civil Rights and Women’s Rights movements and the Vietnam War Rights movements and the Vietnam War and its organized opposition. Younger and its organized opposition. Younger boomers turned 18 between the mid-boomers turned 18 between the mid-1970s and early 1980s, a period that 1970s and early 1980s, a period that included Watergate, the oil embargo and included Watergate, the oil embargo and high inflation.”high inflation.”

Our challenge as a public Our challenge as a public institution:institution:

How can libraries connect with How can libraries connect with and serve an extremely diverse and serve an extremely diverse audience of Baby Boomers and audience of Baby Boomers and Older Americans?Older Americans?

GenerationalGenerational Gender/gender expressionGender/gender expression Ethnic/racialEthnic/racial Income levelIncome level Educational levelEducational level Immigrant experienceImmigrant experience

Let’s avoid substituting one Let’s avoid substituting one stereotype about aging with stereotype about aging with another.another.

All older adults are frail, All older adults are frail, dependent, and in decline.dependent, and in decline.

All baby boomers are All baby boomers are completely different from completely different from previous generations.previous generations.

““Eyeing an Encore Career? Eyeing an Encore Career? Expect a Bumpy Expect a Bumpy Transition”Transition”

The New Retirement, Glenn The New Retirement, Glenn Ruffenach, SmartMoney Ruffenach, SmartMoney Magazine, Magazine, July 2012July 2012

http://www.smartmoney.com/retirement/planning/http://www.smartmoney.com/retirement/planning/eyeing-an-encore-career-expect-a-bumpy-transition-eyeing-an-encore-career-expect-a-bumpy-transition-1339526090060/1339526090060/

““Eyeing an Encore Career? Eyeing an Encore Career? Expect a Bumpy Transition” Expect a Bumpy Transition” (SmartMoney, July 2012)(SmartMoney, July 2012)

Bill Gates has one. So does Al Bill Gates has one. So does Al Gore. Each man has embraced an Gore. Each man has embraced an encore career -- work in later life encore career -- work in later life that's personally fulfilling, that's personally fulfilling, contributes to the greater good contributes to the greater good and generates income. (Although I and generates income. (Although I assume the last isn't top of mind assume the last isn't top of mind for Gates.) If you're considering a for Gates.) If you're considering a similar path, similar path, new research and new research and developments point to reason for developments point to reason for concern -- and optimism.concern -- and optimism.

““Eyeing an Encore Career? Eyeing an Encore Career? Expect a Bumpy Transition” Expect a Bumpy Transition” (SmartMoney, July 2012)(SmartMoney, July 2012)““The notion of encore careers (the The notion of encore careers (the term was made popular by Marc term was made popular by Marc Freedman, head of Civic Ventures, a Freedman, head of Civic Ventures, a San Francisco think tank) has been San Francisco think tank) has been percolating now for some time. percolating now for some time. But But several factors today are prompting several factors today are prompting more people to pursue such jobs: more people to pursue such jobs: undersize nest eggs, increased undersize nest eggs, increased longevity, a desire to tackle society's longevity, a desire to tackle society's ills and, in many cases, an urge to ills and, in many cases, an urge to find a different kind of life.”find a different kind of life.”

“ “7070% of Baby Boomers do not % of Baby Boomers do not have college degrees, which have college degrees, which raises the question: what raises the question: what encore careers are open to encore careers are open to those who lack higher those who lack higher education?”education?”

- Phil Longman, Senior Research - Phil Longman, Senior Research Fellow, Fellow, New America Foundation, New America Foundation, March 2012March 2012

http://www.newamerica.net/events/2012/encore_careers

GAO Report on Unemployed GAO Report on Unemployed Older Workers – April 2012Older Workers – April 2012

GAO Report to the Chairman, GAO Report to the Chairman, Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senate:Senate:

““UNEMPLOYED OLDER UNEMPLOYED OLDER WORKERS: Many Experience WORKERS: Many Experience Challenges Regaining Employment Challenges Regaining Employment and Face Reduced Retirement and Face Reduced Retirement Security”Security”

(GAO-12-445) (GAO-12-445) http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-445445

GAO Report on Unemployed GAO Report on Unemployed Older Workers – April 2012Older Workers – April 2012

Unemployed Older Workers Face Unemployed Older Workers Face Many Challenges in Becoming Many Challenges in Becoming ReemployedReemployed

Perceived employer reluctance to hire Perceived employer reluctance to hire older workersolder workers

Lack of up-to-date skills and diminished Lack of up-to-date skills and diminished skillsskills

Challenges in the online job application Challenges in the online job application processprocess

Emotional challenges that result from Emotional challenges that result from long-term unemploymentlong-term unemployment

AARP Foundation AARP Foundation PrioritiesPriorities

“ “Nearly 9 million people age 50 and over Nearly 9 million people age 50 and over are at risk of are at risk of hungerhunger every day – a 79 percent every day – a 79 percent increase in just 10 years.”increase in just 10 years.”

““More than 20 million low-income people age More than 20 million low-income people age 50 and over do not have 50 and over do not have adequate financial adequate financial resources resources to meet their basic needs.”to meet their basic needs.”

“…“…approximately 13 million low-income 50+ approximately 13 million low-income 50+ households in America cannot afford their households in America cannot afford their housinghousing costs and/or live in inadequate costs and/or live in inadequate housing.”housing.”

The Foundation is “discovering how The Foundation is “discovering how isolationisolation contributes to the hunger, housing and contributes to the hunger, housing and income problems many seniors face — and income problems many seniors face — and seeking workable solutions those seeking workable solutions those problems…”problems…”

Possible future grant Possible future grant opportunity for libraries?opportunity for libraries? AARP Foundation is learning AARP Foundation is learning

“ “what other organizations across the what other organizations across the country are doing to help older country are doing to help older Americans have the level of contact with Americans have the level of contact with others and involvement in community others and involvement in community that supports healthy, engaged living. that supports healthy, engaged living. The results from this program will be The results from this program will be used to shape AARP Foundation’s grant used to shape AARP Foundation’s grant making efforts around Isolation and low-making efforts around Isolation and low-income adults age 50 and older.”income adults age 50 and older.”

http://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/grants/http://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/grants/isolation-grants-combating-isolation/isolation-grants-combating-isolation/

Possible future grant Possible future grant opportunity for libraries?opportunity for libraries?

CEO of AARP Foundation is Jo Ann CEO of AARP Foundation is Jo Ann Jenkins, former COO of Library of Jenkins, former COO of Library of CongressCongress

Build on how libraries already are Build on how libraries already are serving low-income older adults at risk serving low-income older adults at risk of isolation, such as:of isolation, such as:

Digital literacy trainingDigital literacy training

Job searchJob search

Health informationHealth information

Services to disabledServices to disabled

Outreach and partnerships with local aging Outreach and partnerships with local aging services networksservices networks

Race, Poverty, Age, and Race, Poverty, Age, and PlacePlace “ “An Asian-American woman living in An Asian-American woman living in

the wealthy suburbs of New Jersey the wealthy suburbs of New Jersey can expect to live until 91 years of can expect to live until 91 years of age. A black man in an American Rust age. A black man in an American Rust Belt city? 58. In that 33-year gap is Belt city? 58. In that 33-year gap is an incalculable loss of human an incalculable loss of human capacity, and narrowing it -- bringing capacity, and narrowing it -- bringing us to a society in which where you are us to a society in which where you are born or reside, or what your skin born or reside, or what your skin color is, does not circumscribe life's color is, does not circumscribe life's outcomes, and even the length of life outcomes, and even the length of life itself -- is our most urgent priority.” itself -- is our most urgent priority.” (Gara LaMarche, Dec. 2008)(Gara LaMarche, Dec. 2008)

““Libraries are… Libraries are… essential to the essential to the functioning of a functioning of a democratic society.”democratic society.”

- Franklin D. - Franklin D. RooseveltRoosevelt

Email me for more info:Email me for more info:

Tony SarmientoTony Sarmiento

Executive Director, Senior Executive Director, Senior Service America, Inc.Service America, Inc.

tsarmiento@ssa-i.org

www.seniorserviceamericwww.seniorserviceamerica.orga.org