aging and seniors Archives | Page 2 of 2 | American Libraries Magazine

A New Frontier

By Amy Carlton | June 23, 2018

Fatima Perkins, community outreach and advocacy director at Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging in Cleveland, illustrated the many opportunities libraries will have in coming years to meet needs of older adults and caregivers as demographics shift rapidly. The number of Americans over 65 is projected to more than double from 46 million today to … Continue reading A New Frontier →

Community Fabric

By Bailey Brewer | March 1, 2018

Godinsky says her library partnered with an area quilting club to create and donate them to patrons with memory loss and other cognitive issues. By 2050, as many as 16 million Americans may be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Hadi Finerty, senior manager of education and outreach at the Joliet, Illinois, chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, … Continue reading Community Fabric →

In her position as tribal aide to elders, Judi Bridge helps the senior citizens of Winnebago, Nebraska, make the most of the library.

Coming Home, Building Community

The Winnebago Reservation in northeastern Nebraska lies about 20 miles from the nearest drugstore. Long on farmland and short on commercial services, this rural area is a place where it’s easy for people who are elderly, homebound, or both to become isolated. Seven years ago, though, the local community college and public library created the … Continue reading Coming Home, Building Community →

Marie Corbitt, outreach program librarian at Westerville (Ohio) Public Library, leads a “Remember When” storytime at a nursing facility. Photo: Westerville (Ohio) Public Library

An Aging Population Reshapes Library Services

By Greg Landgraf | May 31, 2016

“In the library sector, we always want to make sure that we are addressing the needs and interests of those who we serve in our communities, and in most of our communities, the older adult population has increased,” says Fatima Perkins, director of community outreach and advocacy at the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging … Continue reading An Aging Population Reshapes Library Services →

Jo Ann Jenkins speaks during a session Sunday.

Aging, Disrupted

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | January 10, 2016

A demographic revolution has disrupted the way we age, she said. In fact, the nation’s fastest growing age segment is made up of people over the age of 85. The second fastest is those over the age of 100. Jenkins said she wants to encourage people to look at aging as something to look forward … Continue reading Aging, Disrupted →

A death cafe meets in the Ann Stevens Room in the Anchorage (Alaska) Public Library. Photo: Kris Green

When the Subject Is Death

By Timothy Inklebarger | October 30, 2015

Since the first gathering, named death café, was held in the US in Columbus, Ohio, in July 2012, the forums have spread across the nation. And many are beginning to appear in libraries, according to Lizzy Miles, an organizer for DeathCafe.com. Miles, who organized the Columbus death café, tells American Libraries that she was inspired … Continue reading When the Subject Is Death →

Karen Maki, deputy director of GBPL, with a "traveler" who is participating in the Tales and Travels program.

Stimulating Minds

By Terra Dankowski | February 9, 2015

Welcome to Tales and Travel, a recreation program designed to encourage participation, conversation, and expression among Alzheimer’s and dementia patients by simulating the act of traveling to different countries and US states. While seated around a communal table at one of the six nursing home, assisted living, and memory care facilities that Degnan and her … Continue reading Stimulating Minds →

Latest Library Links

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Paula Mauro writes: “While Banned Books Week ended on September 28, writer, director, producer—and Banned Books Week honorary chair—Ava DuVernay stresses the importance of continuing the work of amplifying marginalized voices. ‘This banned book effort is an agenda by people who want to make some of us less free, to silence the voices of some of us,’ DuVernay tells American Libraries. ‘We can overcome this, but we have to work together.’ DuVernay recorded a video conversation with Banned Books Week Youth Honorary Chair Julia Garnett.”

AL: The Scoop, Oct. 2
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On October 3, the ALA Executive Board released a statement on what library professionals can do to support communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The full statement highlights opportunities to donate to local relief efforts and the ALA Disaster Relief Fund, which will distribute funds in cooperation with ALA chapters, volunteer time to local libraries and relief organizations, and advocate for policies and funding to ensure libraries can continue critical work during and after disasters.

AL: The Scoop, Oct. 4
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Florian Kastner writes: “JPG was developed to compress photos with lossy compression, which greatly reduced file sizes–a decisive advantage in the early days of the internet when storage space and bandwidth were still scarce resources. With the enormous progress in computer and software technology, the possibilities for image compression have also developed further. Today, modern image formats offer far better compression without compromising image quality. For many photographers, designers, and website operators, it’s becoming increasingly unattractive to rely on the outdated JPG format.” AVIF, JPEG XL, WebP, and HEIC/HEIF are likely to take its place.

PC World, Sept. 27
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Nick Dedeke writes: “In an earlier article, I discussed a few of the flaws in Europe’s flagship data privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Building on that critique, I would now like to go further, proposing specifications for developing a robust privacy protection regime in the US. If a country like the US developed a different privacy approach, it would bring choice and a new perspective into this important segment of protection of the privacy of data subjects.”

Ars Technica, Sept. 28
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Brian Stephens writes: “Lack of high-speed internet is a significant problem in almost 75% of communities served by the nation’s K–12 schools, according to Funds For Learning’s annual E-Rate Applicant Survey. A key change to the E-rate program’s rules aims to narrow the ‘homework gap’ by making Wi-Fi hotspots that schools and libraries loan to students and patrons eligible for E-Rate discounts. For funding year 2025, Wi-Fi hotspots are eligible for Category One discounts. However, schools and libraries must follow a slew of requirements in order to take advantage. Here’s a closer look.”

THE Journal, Sept. 24
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Danielle Costello writes: “Unsurprising to anyone who has ever known me, when I think about my favorite games, I have a very hard time deciding on a rank order. Favorites to me exist on a wide, joyful, and ever-increasing plane. Since I’m hoping to keep this list to a reasonable length, I’m sharing some of my favorite categories of games and some standout examples. Please enjoy!” The list includes examples of board games, role-playing games for groups and individuals, and video games in several genres.

ALA Games & Gaming Round Table, Sept. 30
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Catherine Hollerbach writes: “Library workers are finding the joy in library work they have missed over the past few years. What is more joyous than finding that book you read as a child and sharing it with your kids? Or finding just the right story that pulls on your heartstrings or takes you on an adventure? Sometimes, it’s a song in storytime that brings on a smile or a chance to learn about a fantastic wine or how to fix a car.”

Public Libraries Online, Sept. 25

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