Strategies for Engaging Older Patrons: Lessons from Small and Rural Libraries

Libraries often assume that older adults’ interests and needs are self-evident, creating programs and services that are under-utilized because they do not reflect the wants and needs of these patrons. Can community conversations help libraries better connect their work to older adults’ preferences? Data from the American Library Association’s Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) project suggests that these conversations are an effective vehicle for aligning programs and services with older adults’ wishes. Based on an evaluation of LTC reports, this article presents a series of case studies outlining different ways community conversations can contribute to the creation of more age-friendly libraries.