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)