University of Illinois, School of Information Sciences

The University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign School of Information Sciences and Queens College will collaborate on a three-year research project to strengthen public library services for older adults. The project will identify the information needs of older adults, examine current public library services for this population, and develop training materials for librarians as well as literacy courses for older adults. These goals will be achieved through surveys, interviews, the development of training materials, and the assessment of these materials in partner libraries. Public libraries, librarians, and patrons will benefit from the project’s deliverables and outcomes, which include new models and strategies for serving older adults in the AI era, librarian training materials, literacy courses, and evidence-based recommendations to inform user service policy and practice.