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An Infopeople Online Learning Course

Start:
April 28th, 2015 12:00 PM
End:
May 25th, 2015 4:30 PM

Course Instructor: Jane Salisbury 

  • Would you like to better meet the needs of older adults in your community?
  • Do you want to know more about the issues and interests that matter to adults over 50?
  • Are you interested in knowing how to develop and market programs related to the creative and social needs of midlife adults?

As the baby boom generation ages it’s a given that the number of older adults in the United States is increasing. As a library you may be wondering, who are these older adults, what do they need and how can the library provide programs that are relevant? In this course, you will learn to develop and market library programming that will engage older adults throughout their life span.

In this course, you’ll learn:

  • Current demographic trends related to older adults and the implications for libraries
  • How to develop and market programs related to work and leisure issues experienced by midlife adults, including aging parents, retirement planning, and health
  • How to engage older adults in volunteer projects at your library
  • How to develop a comprehensive plan for ongoing programs and projects targeted at older adults
  • How to identify relevant resources in your community, including community-based organizations, cultural groups, and educational organizations
  • Identify staff and resources in your library to develop ongoing programs and projects targeted at older adults

Since frailty and decline are not the hallmarks of these over 50 active adults who may live for another 40-50 years, traditional library senior services may not appeal to them. Active older adults demand a level of engagement and service that their parents may not have expected. Join us to discover how library programming can position the library as a center for community and information that will serve the needs of this age group.

Course Description: Through assignments, discussions, and readings, you’ll learn about the needs of older adults and how to develop and market programs that address these needs. You’ll assess the demographics and trends in your own community. You’ll review the current services and programs offered by your library and will identify gaps. You’ll plan programs that address both challenges and opportunities. The instructor will provide essential resources, best practices, and useful tips and techniques that can be applied immediately in your library.

Course Outline: When you log in to the Infopeople online learning site, you will see weekly modules with these topics:

  • Week 1: Demographics and trends
    • Population trends for the baby boom and future generations
    • Implications of those trends
    • How to assess the demographics and trends in your own community
    • Nomenclature: what do the terms "senior", "boomer", "aging", "elder", "midlife", "older" and myriad others imply?
  • Week 2: Programming that addresses work and leisure issues of midlife adults
    • The realities of life for the "sandwich generation"
    • How to develop and market programs related to the care of aging parents, assisting your child with college finance, retirement planning, health, and raising grandchildren
  • Week 3: Programming that addresses the creative and social needs of midlife adults
    • Creative pursuits are often set aside during work and child-rearing years, but come back to the fore when adults enter their 50s
    • How to develop and market programs related to the arts
    • How to tailor volunteer programs to appeal to the interests and talents of adults in midlife
  • Week 4: Developing a culture that meets the needs of older adults
    • Identify staff and resources in your library to develop ongoing programs and projects targeted at older adults
    • Identify relevant resources in your community: community-based organizations, cultural groups, educational organizations

Pre-course Assignment: None

Time Required: To complete this course, you can expect to spend 2½ hours per week, for a total of ten course hours. Each week's module contains readings and various options for assignments, discussions, or online meetings. You can choose the options most relevant to your work and interests. Although you can work on each module at your own pace, at any hour of the day or night, it is recommended that you complete each week's work within that week to stay in sync with other learners.

Who Should Take This Course: Public library staff who work in programming and outreach to adults. Other local stakeholders such as cultural organizations, AARP, and volunteer organizations which appeal to adults in midlife.

Online Learning Details and System Requirements may be found at: infopeople.org/training/online_learning_details.

After the official end date for the course, the instructor will be available for limited consultation and support for two more weeks, and the course material will stay up for an additional two weeks after that. These extra weeks give those who have fallen behind time to work independently to complete the course.

Keywords: Adult services, Outreach, Public services