Serving Grandfamilies in Libraries (book)

Gough, S., Feehan, P., & Lyons, D. (2013) Serving Grandfamilies in Libraries: A Handbooks and Programming Guide. New York: Scarecrow Press.

Gough, Feehan, and Lyons have taken everything learned from their research on developing GrandFamily Resource Collections and leading grandfamily programming in several states and put it in this easy to use guide. They share the successes and failures of existing programs so other librarians can hit the ground running rather than trudge through a time-consuming and costly period of trial-and-error. It’s a lot more efficient to learn from someone else’s mistakes than to make your own.

The target population, grandfamilies, and most specifically, grandparents raising grandchildren have become a statistically-significant group worthy of attention in many communities but library practitioners may not have explored further due to a lack of resources and money.

Special features include:

• List of Web resources (government agencies, support groups, etc.)
• List of grants and funding opportunities
• Sample grant applications
• List of possible community partners for the library
• Sample surveys or some tactic for getting to know the needs of one’s target population
• Sample marketing plans
• Sample promotional materials
• Sample activity sheets
• Sample release forms, etc.

With this practical and comprehensive guide, your library will be ready to jumpstart or easily expand a stellar program for the grandfamilies in your community. (book description)

50+ Library services: Innovation in Action

Schull, Diantha Dow.  50+ Library services: Innovation in Action.  Chicago: ALA, 2013.  027.622 Schul.  ISBN 978-0-8389-1119-8

Adults over the age of 50 constitute some of the most engaged and frequent users of public libraries. They may also be the most misunderstood. As Baby Boomers continue to swell their ranks, the behavior, interests, and information needs of older adults have changed dramatically, and Schull s new book offers the keys to reshaping library services for the new generations of active older adults. A must-read for library educators, library directors, and any information professional working in a community or academic setting, this important book

•         Analyzes key societal trends, such as longer lifespans and improved population health, and their implications for libraries work with midlife adults
•        Profiles Leading-Edge States and Beacon Libraries from across the nation at the forefront of institutional change
•       Discusses issues such as creativity, health, financial literacy, life planning, and intergenerational activities from the 50+ perspective, while showing how libraries can position themselves as essential centers for learning, encore careers, and community engagement
•        Spotlights best practices that can be adapted for any setting, including samples of hundreds of projects and proposals that illustrate new approaches to 50+ policies, staffing, programs, services, partnerships, and communications

The wisdom and insight contained in this book can help make the library a center for positive aging.

Boomers and Beyond: Reconsidering the role of libraries

Rothstein, Pauline and Diantha Dow Schull, eds. Boomers and Beyond: Reconsidering the role of libraries. Chicago: ALA, 2010. ISBN 978-0-8389-1014-6. 027.622 Boome

This book offers proactive ideas that serve the increasing longevity of your patrons, different perspectives on longevity from a variety of scholars and experts, and a section on librarians' responses to the issues. Supporting this growing population is a concern of many, and this book will help you find ways to be creative and take the initiative to build a build a better service model for these customers.