Canadian Guidelines on Library and Information Services for Older
Adults
Approved by Executive Council ~ November 24, 2002
Introduction
Older adults are not a homogenous population that can be easily
categorized. Like any identifiable group within our society, such as
people with disabilities or members of ethnic communities, the
information needs and interests of older people range widely and mirror
the adult community as a whole. Also, within the broad category of
"older adults" lie several generations with different life experiences
and different sets of expectations. The first principle, then, of
serving an older population is to recognize this great diversity and to
be ever conscious of the dangers of stereotyping in planning
collections, programs and services.
At the same time, as the existence of the study of gerontology
clearly indicates, there are special circumstances that most older
people share, and that service providers must take into account. These
include the experience of retirement which brings both increased leisure
and the need to re-structure one's daily life. While the great majority
of older persons in Canada enjoy good health, the onset of physical
problems increases with age and may dictate a change of lifestyle and
activity. There are new circumstances that often have an impact on the
information older people need, and how they are able to or wish to
access it.
With the aging of our society we can expect that one out of every
four or five Canadians will be 65 years or older within the next 30
years. At this time people in this age category are underrepresented
among library users. If this situation continues we can expect a serious
impact on our libraries, and how the public views the importance of the
library.
This set of guidelines, proposed by the Canadian
Library Association's Interest Group on Services for Older People,
is intended to provide a checklist for libraries to use in planning
services that are inclusive of older adults, and that will encourage a
greater use of libraries by this growing population.
A Definition of "Older Adults"
For the purposes of these guidelines, older people generally means
persons aged 60 or older. This is the approximate age when one either
chooses retirement, or begins to plan for mandatory retirement at age
65.
Guidelines
-
Acquire current data about the older population and
incorporate it into planning and budgeting.
1.1 Conduct focus groups and user studies among the community's older
population on a regular basis in order to gauge how services,
collections and programs might be made more appropriate and relevant to
this age group. Communities are dynamic, and each generation of senior
citizens brings with it a different set of experiences, interests, and
expectations.
1.2 Collect data on the special information needs of older people from
minority cultures.
1.3 Ensure that any services that target the older population are an
integral and ongoing part of the library's operations and budget. This
might include, for instance, a seniors' information centre, a regular
series of programs that target older adults, or the operation of a
vehicle to serve seniors' residences.
1.4 Involve older adults in the community in the library's planning
process, either by establishing a seniors' advisory committee, or
through regular liaison with seniors' organizations and seniors'
centres. Older adults who are library volunteers, members of the
library's Friends organization, or are library board members might also
be consulted.
1.5 Research appropriate grant opportunities and sponsorships that can
support the development of new programs and services for older adults
eg. purchases of special equipment.
-
Ensure that the special needs and interests of older people
in your community are reflected in the library's collections, programs,
and services.
2.1 Appoint a librarian, perhaps as part of the Adult Services team, to
act as coordinator of seniors' services, or as seniors' liaison,
ensuring that there is at least one designated staff member monitoring
and developing the library's collections and services with older adults
in mind.
2.2 Since older adults are generally underrepresented among library
users, consider how the library can be made more visible, more
welcoming, and more relevant for this potential user group.
2.3 Advertise the library's services in local seniors' newspapers,
magazines, radio or television programs, in seniors' centres, and
seniors' residential housing.
2.4 Offer to speak to seniors' organizations about the library's
services on a regular basis.
2.5 Establish an ongoing liaison with seniors' centres, seniors'
organizations, and agencies serving older adults, to explore cooperative
programming, to recruit volunteers or friends of the library, and to
seek suggestions for programs or services that would encourage library
use.
2.6 Where appropriate, be an advocate for the needs of older adults in
the wider community.
-
Make the library's physical facilities safe, comfortable
and inviting for older people.
All public buildings must follow prescribed building codes, but these
alone do not ensure a level of safety and comfort that older adults may
need. Most of the basic requirements for access by people with
disabilities are included in these codes, in human rights legislation
and local by-laws and regulations. Older adults comprise a sizeable
percentage of Canadians with disabilities, therefore the Canadian
Guidelines on Library and Information Services for People with
Disabilities (CLA 1997) should be consulted and used in conjunction with
these guidelines for serving older people.
3.1 In addition to consulting the Guidelines for People With
Disabilities, evaluate your library's physical access by making use of
the checklists, The Accessible Canadian Library II, and the Canadian
Standards Association's Barrier-Free Design.
3.2 Provide at least one wheelchair in the library for public use.
3.3 Place chairs or stools near stack areas, by information desks,
check-out areas, and computer terminals.
3.4 Avoid placing materials on shelves that will be difficult to reach
with comfort. This is especially important in areas of the collection
that older adults may frequent more.
3.5 Place paperback racks, clearly labeled and well spaced, in areas of
the library that are especially well lit, accommodating the many older
patrons who prefer paperbacks over heavier and more cumbersome hardback
books.
3.6 Ensure that signage is clear, in larger type, and readily visible.
Library brochures should also be in at least 12-point font type.
3.7 Provide at least one computer terminal with large font size or voice
recognition system in all service outlets, and label visibly.
3.8 Make services and collections easily accessible for patrons with
hearing disabilities, by providing TTY access, closed-captioned
videotapes, and equipment to facilitate access such as TV decoders.
Ensure that programs in the library are also accessible for deaf
adults.
-
Make the library a focal point for seniors'
information.
4.1 The library can provide an invaluable service to older adults in its
community by organizing and consolidating information that they need
about government and community programs and services for seniors. In
communities where such an information centre is managed by a community
agency, the library should work in cooperation with the agency by
advertising this service and making the information more readily
accessible.
4.2 Develop a library Web site for seniors, that selectively provides
links to the sites of seniors' organizations, government departments and
agencies serving older people, full-text seniors' newspapers, and other
Web sites whose focus is older adults.
4.3 Ensure that the library's collection includes materials that are
pertinent for caregivers of older people, for their children or other
family members, and for professional caregivers in the community.
Collect and display pamphlet and other community information, and
consider developing a library Web site for this audience.
-
Target the older population in library programming.
5.1 Include in program planning each year programs that specifically
target older adults. Advertising at least some programs in this way can
heighten the library's visibility among the older population.
5.2 Select themes for seniors' programs that deal with specific
interests identified in the library's user surveys or focus groups, in
circulation statistics reflecting borrowing patterns by seniors, or from
liaison with seniors themselves, through their organizations or a
seniors' library advisory council.
5.3 Plan programs for specific age groups or generations within the
older population, being aware that interests and information needs do
vary greatly.
5.4 Include intergenerational programs and participate in
intergenerational projects, possibly in cooperation with the library's
youth services, with local schools, daycare facilities or community
organizations.
5.5 Pursue other opportunities for cooperative programming for seniors
in the community, through community and seniors' centres, community
agencies, educational institutions offering continuing educational
programs for older adults. Cooperative efforts might involve active
participation in planning and delivering programs, assistance in
advertising programs, or providing book displays and booklists in
conjunction with programs.
5.6 Consider developing computer and internet courses specifically for
older adults. This accommodates a slower pace of instruction, time to
develop "mousing skills," and to account for the probability that some
participants will have visual or hearing problems. Include individual
tutoring if possible.
5.7 Take the library to older people in the community. Provide
programming for seniors outside the library, in seniors' or community
centres, and in nursing homes and seniors' housing units. Consider
offering computer and internet training in these locations.
5.8 Use library displays to combat ageism or the stereotypes in our
society about older people.
-
Reach out to older adults in the community who are unable
to get to the library.
6.1 Plan to adjust library budgets and practices to accommodate an
increased need for homebound delivery service. The fastest growing age
group in Canada is the very old, those aged 75 and older, and we can
therefore expect to see more demand everywhere for services to older
people confined to their homes. Only by closely monitoring community
demographics, population forecasts, and housing trends can libraries
effectively plan for these adjustments.
6.2 Offer the library's homebound service to all nursing homes and
seniors' residential or care homes in the community. Also include older
people who are confined to private residences, or who are unable to
carry library materials home.
6.3 Advertise homebound library service through local media, seniors'
organizations and centres, public health agencies, and other community
agencies working with older people.
6.4 Eliminate waiting lists for homebound service, through innovative
approaches to delivery of materials, a redistribution of personnel, or
establishment of a volunteer delivery system.
-
Train the library's staff to serve older adults with
politeness and respect.
7.1 Provide sensitivity training to staff at all levels to make them
aware of difficulties older people may have in using the library, and
how to make the library a more welcoming and comfortable place for older
adults.
7.2 Train staff to recognize the stereotypes about older people, and to
avoid condescending service.
7.3 Ensure that all staff are aware of any special services the library
offers that may be of interest to older patrons, such as home delivery
service, a talking books collection, a service to retrieve materials
from the stacks, reading aids, or waiving of fines or fees.
Guidelines written by members of the CLA
Interest Group on Services to Older People, 1999.
|
