Resources for Library Services to Older Adults

Foundation for Art and Healing

The Foundation for Art and Healing includes Project UnLonely, a program designed to use art to help people connect with each other and avoid loneliness. Libraries can partner with the organization to get trained in and provide art programs for patrons.

Music and Memory

Music and Memory is a program created by the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function. Community members can get trained to create therapeutic music playlists for people with memory loss. Music has a unique ability to reconnect people with memories, and this program helps people experience better moods and health outcomes.

Senior Planet

Senior Planet is an affiliate of AARP that provides technology training for older adults to help bridge the digital divide. The organization hosts in-person classes in a limited number of states, as well as virtual classes.

Tales and Travel

Tales and Travel is a well-researched, widely known program used in libraries to connect with patrons with memory loss.

TimeSlips

TimeSlips can be used as a conversation starter for programs with older adults, particularly those with memory loss.

WebJunction

WebJunction, the continuing education platform OCLC created, has a landing page for services to older adults. There you can access recordings of past webinars, sign up for upcoming ones, and read articles.

Keys to Engaging Older Adults

Keys to Engaging Older Adults was created by ALA. It includes definitions of key terms as well as resources to look into outside the library.

Memory Cafe Percolator

The Memory Cafe Percolator is a comprehensive resource created by the Jewish Family and Children's Service for anyone looking to create a memory cafe or find an existing one in their community.

National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults

The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults created a guide for "Implementing and Expanding Virtual Programming for Older Adults" based on extensive experience.

RUSA

RUSA's Guidelines for Library Services with 60+ Audience is an update to guidelines that have existed since the 1980s.

Age Labels

Dalmer, Bull, and Mitrovica published "When Somebody Says This Is a Program for Adults" in The Gerontologist. It is one of the few studies asking community members what they think of age labels for library programming.

Excercise Programs

Lenstra, Oguz, D'Arpa, and Wilson published "Excercising at the Library: Small and Rural Public Libraries in the Lives of Older Adults," a paper about the use and efficacy of GeriFit programs in small public libraries.

General Library Services

Lenstra, Oguz, and Duvall reported on public library services for older adults based on data from surveying hundreds of libraries in "Library Services to an Aging Population." The resulting information provides a good, relatively current look at what public libraries do for older adults in their communities.

Peggy Barber Tribute Grant

Peggy Barber Tribute Grant is awarded yearly to libraries to support new or increased programming. In 2024-2025 the grant was given to libraries combatting loneliness among older adults.

Stephen T. Riedner Grant

Stephen T. Riedner Grant is awarded to a library every year to help fund programs for patrons with dementia.