Services to Baby Boomers and Older Adults

In this presentation, Allan Kleiman, with the Old Bridge Public Library talked about services to older adults–particularly focusing on Web 2.0 instruction.  (Some of you who have attended SJSU library school classes may have had him as an instructor.)  Apparently, he is an expert in services to older adults and has served in an advisory capacity on this topic in different venues.

The interesting thing for me about this particular presentation is considering the older adult population, in particular with regards to instructing them on Web 2.0 technologies.  Certainly, the Baby Boomers are a different type of “senior” and Web 2.0 can have a particular appeal for them, too.

Although he talked about some of the early Web 2.0/web sites focused on the older adult population, he focused in particular on a site he recommended for public libraries to use in teaching their customers about Web 2.0: 

• www.cranky.com:  this search engine (targeted at older adults) produces fewer, non-threatening results on topics of interest to older adults; the search results are good and comprable to Google; the search results are simple–perfect for training beginning older adults to use the Internet; also, this search engine is connected to eons, a social networking site–so can be used as transition to introducing customers to that site, as well.

 Mr. Kleiman said that some of the web trends for older-adult focused social networking sites are:

• Facebook and myspace-like sites targeted for older adults.  Examples of these are:  rezoom, multiply, boomj, maya’s mom
  • In particular, Mr. Kleiman said he was going to try using multiply.com in his older adult computer classes
• Old adage:  “Old People are Sticky” (i.e. loyal to particular products, etc.)  However, this may no longer be true with the Baby Boomers.

Other Tips/Suggestions:

• www.eldr.com:  a site to help boomers and their aging parents deal with aging issues; is also a print magazine
• www.redhatsociety.com:  the speaker said that association-related sites (such as the aarp) are the sites that will definitely been in the virtual world for the long haul; he mentioned this site as an interest for older adults
• http://www.boomerstv.com/:  Internet-only “tv type” programs on issues of interest to Boomers; the shows are available on this web site
• Teaching blogging to older adults:  a great public library-type of class to offer for older adults; blogging keeps minds sharp; provides opportunities to meet people; is online journaling; (sometimes bloggers can even achieve a certain amount of “fame”)
• http://jenett.org/ageless/:  The Ageless Project is a compilation of blogs (all over the Web) in order of birth year

Suggestions for Taking Action at Libraries:

1. Teach www.cranky.com in your library computer classes.
2. Link library web sites to older adult-focused sites, such as cranky.com
3. Join these social networking sites (focused on the older population) to test them out; become a participant
4. Provide feedback to these sites.
5. Plan branch programs such as Wii for Adults (even having teens teach older adults how to play Wii games); speed dating for seniors (he commented on the issue of companionship for older adults)

At the end of the presentation, Mr. Kleiman mentioned that he will be launching a “Senior Space” at his library in Old Bridge, NJ.  This is based on the “Teen Space” concept that is used at libraries.  (He mentioned this would be the first Senior Space in a US library.)

For more information: 

• Mr. Kleiman’s blog is:  http://www.libraryolderadults.blogspot.com/

Reviewed by: 

Polly (SDCL Online)

New Rules of Web Design

Jeff Wisniewski, Web Services Librarian at the University of Pittsburgh did a presentation on new rules of thumb for web site design.

1.  Old Rule: Simplicity

New Rule: Simplicity, but with rich and interactive content–the user’s experience on the web site is important.

2. Old Rule: Content is king.

New Rule: Yes, but design matters a lot.
Novices make decisions about your site by how it looks. If users have a bad view/experience, this perspective will carry on throughout their use of the web site.Professional design = credibility

3. Old Rule: All content is created equally.

 New Rule: Yes, but some is more equal than others.Design for what users are doing.What is your mission? What are people doing on your website? Emphasize these services on your web site.

4. Old Rule: 7 Categories on a web site

New Rule: This is a guideline; depends on the context. If your site is well designed and well labeled

5. Old Rule:  3 click rule

New Rule:  This rule is dead.  Design instead for “scent”.  Users will happily click as long as they feel they are on the right path.

6. Old Rule:  800×600 monitor setting rule of thumb

New Rule:  1024 x 768 is the new rule of thumb.  Other considerations:  what other platforms are people using (e.g. phones, handhelds).  Also, flexible design rather than fixed–% based, rather than absolute.

7. Old Rule:  Colors:  using 24 bit color rendering

New Rule:  not necessarily as important anymore; optimize images for the web.

8. Old Rule:  scrolling is bad

New Rule:  …not necessarily.  Users will scroll if there is a clue that something is below.  (e.g. New York Times web site uses “the cutoff” look–a staggered content break, so that it’s apparent there is more information.)

9.  Old Rule:  Keep it above the fold.

New Rule:  …maybe.  In general, it can be a good idea.

Other Tips:

1. Overall, check design standards, normal design conventions, user expectations that have been established (whether on your web site or typical of other sites).  See also “Jakob’s Law”.  (NOTE:  the following web site includes information on this:  http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9605.html

2. Redesign Your Website–constantly; design revisions should be iterative and evolutionary.  Revolutionary change is disruptive for users.  Use A/B testing process to try out changes in advance of implementing.  (NOTE:  See the following website for more information on this:  http://www.marketingexperiments.com/improving-website-conversion/ab-split-testing.html) 

3. Follow established web conventions (e.g.  Home (upper left); banners (should be clickable); navigation areas (top and left); Contact Us links)

4. Support all Internet browsers…for basic web site content.  Then, make more value added content available for newer browsers/versions–progressive enhancement.

5.  Do not need to have text only versions of web pages.  With XHTML and CSS, the separating of text and layout no longer necessitates this need.

6. Only use tables for tabular data.

7. Top of the web page is not prime real estate.  (Experts have called this “banner blindness” because people don’t tend to look above a web page’s main heading.)

8. Because pop-ups are frequently blocked, don’t use second browser windows for important web site content.

9. Flash shouldn’t be used too often; particularly not for intruductions to web sites.

10. Mouseover menus are a problem because they are not scannable and prevent users from getting an overview of a web site.

11. Sometimes is ok to use links that open in new browser windows, however, let users know in advance. 

12. If you are using “Auto Forward” breaks, set the auto forward to 5 – 10 seconds, so that customers can use the Back arrow if they want to.

13. Photos of people on your web site increases trust.  However, real people–not models and staged situations.  Additionally, if the photos are labeled, users see this as even greater credibility.

For more information, see the presenter’s Powerpoint

Reviewed by:

Polly (SDCL Online)