Aging in a Digital Society: Exploring How Canadian and Australian Public Library Systems Program for Older Adults

ABSTRACT

Amid global population aging and technological advancement, this article seeks to support public librarians in innovating programs for older adults. It compares how Canadian and Australian public libraries approach this task using environmental scans and thematic analyses within both countries. Findings reveal that Canadian and Australian librarians similarly seek to craft programs that target the informational interests of older adults, increase digital literacy, mitigate social isolation, and combat ageism by means of community engagement, strategic partnerships, and experimentation. Findings highlight similar approaches to overcoming programming challenges and differences in how they market older adult specific programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Public library
• international comparison
• older adult
• programming
• population aging
• digital literacy
• social isolation

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Globalink Research Award program.

Notes on contributors

Kaitlin Wynia Baluk

Kaitlin Wynia is a PhD candidate in the Department of Health, Aging, and Society at McMaster University, under the supervision of Dr. James Gillett. Her dissertation research explores the relationship between public religious art, public dialogs, and public perceptions of social issues.

Scott McQuire

Scott McQuire is Professor of Media and Communications in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He is one of the founders of the Research Unit for Public Cultures which fosters interdisciplinary research at the nexus of digital media, contemporary art, urbanism, and social theory.

James Gillett

James Gillett is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health, Aging, and Society and the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research in the Faculty of Social Sciences at McMaster University. James Gillett’s key areas of research include: human animal relationships; sport, leisure and recreation; mental health and well-being; media and communications; perspectives on living with health and illness across the life course; and inquiry as an approach to education and learning.

Danielle Wyatt

Danielle Wyatt is a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne. She writes and researches about the public life of culture, particularly the intersection between cultural spaces, everyday practices, and public policy.