"Greying of the Internet;"

News April 11, 2008 (mp3 file: 4.98 MB, 5:19 min.)
"Graying of the Internet;" "Dia" and other special youth events; "Miss Rumphius" storytelling kit


Last week I talked about an Internet librarian presentation about change, specifically technological change. This week I'm back to an Internet Librarian presentation, this time about "The Greying of the Internet," a presentation by Allan Kleiman. We in libraries are doing what we can--and rightly so--to reach our young users, in traditional ways but also via the Internet and the web and the other technologies with which they are so comfortable. In the process of doing that, however, let's not forget that boomers and older adults are also a large group and they use the Internet more than we sometimes realize. (Check out the presentation to see who is the fastest growing group using the Internet--you might be surprised.)

I hear quite often from librarians that their older patrons just don't use the Internet. I believe that that's not true--and usage studies are showing that. I like to use my 87 (soon to be 88) year old father as an example--he uses the Internet a LOT, downloads ebooks and audiobooks to his Palm pda and his iPod shuffle. We use iChat every night to do videoconferencing with him, and he checks in with us every morning using instant messaging. "Well, yes, but he's YOUR father," people say to me, as if I have anything to do with it. There are many other people's fathers and brothers and cousins who are older than we might typically think of as Internet users--we can't forget them.

In some ways the Internet is a vital resource for them--they can communicate with family, keep up to date and continue learning, look for information on the web. Maybe they are more comfortable with technology than we give them credit for. I KNOW most of them are more capable of learning than they are sometimes given credit for. And aren't we in a great place to be able to assist them, if they need and wish it? We can help them find reliable information on the web, show them how to do e-mail and download photos from digitall cameras to send to their children and grandchildren....They've seen a great deal of tremendous change in their lives, and they have handled it quite well, thank you. We owe a lot to generations older than we; let's not forget them in this wonderful world of technology resources.

Links from today's podcast:
Allan Kleimann's Internet Librarian presentation "Cranky? Boomers and Older Adults are Greying the Internet!"
ALA's "Dia" webapge
Nick, Jr. website
SIWLSA Youth Services page (for flyer to advertise special events at your library)