Li813 Baby Boomers
This document was uploaded by user and they confirmed that they have the permission to share it. If you are author or own the copyright of this book, please report to us by using this DMCA report form. Report DMCA
Overview
Download & View Li813 Baby Boomers as PDF for free.
More details
- Words: 1,610
- Pages: 8
Running head: THE BABY BOOM GENERATION AND THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Baby Boom Generation and the Public Library Dian Hauser Emporia State University
Abstract The Baby Boom Generation, that of Americans born between 1946 and 1964, had a large impact on society because of the unprecedented increase in births during those years. Boomers were concerned with retirement: how to manage money, how to continue to have meaning in their lives, how to enjoy their new freedom from work-when it came. Boomers, too, were still contending with the sandwich effect of having the generation below them and above them needing their support. Boomers also dealt with a rapidly changing technological world--some of them more successfully then others. The public library, as an institution, helped the boomers by recognizing their needs and attempting to fill those needs. The Lawrence Public Library was used as an example of how a library could fulfill its duty to serve this particular group.
Baby Boomers and the Library The mission of the Lawrence Public Library as stated, included the lines, "We are dedicated to the development of full and equal access to information for all people,” and "We ensure access to information for people of all ages, abilities, and means" (Lawrence, 2006). This library was committed to serving the public as completely as possible. In serving the Baby Boom generation, this vision of service meant looking at the population’s special needs and attempting to meet them by providing information pertinent to this group. The oldest boomers were turning 61 years of age in 2007, and while these first-born of the generation had not yet reached retirement age, this was fast approaching. (Wikipedia, 2007). Thus, library support included information regarding retirement concerns: how to manage money, how to continue to have a meaningful life, and how to enjoy the freedom that a post-work life afforded. Library resources for money management included ValueLine stock information in a text or online format. Another source of financial information was The Motley Fool Investment Guide: How the Fool Beats Wall Street's Wise Men and How You Can Too (Garner, 1996) and Suze Orman’s Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny (Orman, 2007). This book had information applicable to male boomers as well as to women. Resources for boomers seeking meaning in a post-work life included books on spiritual discovery, such as Deepak Chopra’s How To Know God : The Soul's Journey Into The Mystery Of Mysteries (2000). Another information source was The Power of Now: a Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle (2001).
Recreationally, boomers seemed to be following the pattern set by aging generations ahead of them. They took to the road. R.V. sales skyrocketed despite continually high gas prices. (O’Brien, p1) Intrepid tourist needed access to travel guides, such as Adventuring along the Lewis and Clark Trail : Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington (Grossman, 2003), as well as collections of State Tourism Booklets and pamphlets about roadside attractions within a particular state. State maps and Atlas that were able to be checked out to the traveler were also necessary. And for boomers desiring to globe-trot, international guides were a necessity. Lonely Planet guides and publications such as The Cities Book: a Journey Through the Best Cities in the World (Lonely Planet, 2006), as well as circulating, up-to-date foreign maps were essential. Librarians needed to provide reliable web sites with domestic and foreign travel information. One excellent site on foreign travel which librarians gave to inquiring boomers was the British Travel Advice by Country, http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Pa ge&cid=1007029390590 Boomers were also looking for things to do at home. Books on crafts and home repair were needed for this group. The Lawrence Public Library had a large selection of books published by Reader’s Digest on these subjects so that boomers would not go wanting. Titles in this area ranged from The Papercraft Weekend Workbook: From Ribbons to Rose Petals, Creative Techniques for Making 50 Stunning Projects (Jones, 2006),to Dream backyards : from planters to decks, over 30 projects to create a beautiful outdoor living space. (Author, 2006)
Boomers discovered audio books as both a way deal with weaker vision and as an accompaniment for exercise, hobbies and travel. The Lawrence Public Library offered audio download service free to patrons through the NetLibrary online source. For those boomers who preferred the act of reading, books printed in larger fonts (or Large Print books) were given more shelf space and more publicity. Retirement was not the only concern for boomers. Family matters were also pressing. Many boomers found that they were spared the dreaded “empty-nest syndrome” and all its angst. They were delivered from it by the arrival to their homes of the older generation needing care, the return of the younger generations to their childhood home, or-- for some-- the surprise development of having grandchildren to raise. Aging parents were returning to the boomer's homes to be cared for as they became more infirm (Kadlec,p1) Boomers needed information on coping with these elders and the problems their arrival brought. Medical insurance, health and well-fare, timemanagement, and blending families were all issues that the library helped address. Medical insurance questions were most accurately answered by consulting reliable websites such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources' http://www.cms.hhs.gov/home/rsds.asp. Health and well-fare concerns were covered in numerous books like The Baby Boomers Guide to Caring for Your Aging Parent by Gene Williams. The psychological stress of having elders to care for--less-time for other priorities, and less space in the home--was addressed in helpful books, like Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinns(2005), and in audiobooks for the time-starved boomer. One such tape found in the Lawrence Public Library was comic Loretta LaRoche' Life is Not a Stress Rehearsal (2001).
Boomers who found themselves sharing space with grown children could find coping information through When Generations Collide by Lynne Lancaster (2002). And grandparents who suddenly had grandchildren to raise could find help geared to their particular needs in the Parenting area of the Lawrence Public Library's Children's Room. As noted, the Baby Boom generation covered a wide age range, and this was very apparent in the group’s technological savvy. While some boomers were conversant in the most current tech updates, other members of this population were unable (and sometimes unwilling) to post an email. Databases such as Cranky.com ( http://www.cranky.com/) were geared to help the “aging baby boomer” who was confused by Google and other search engines that “spew[ed] out more than older eyes care[d] to see” (Liedtke,p1). For boomers interested in learning about technology, there were excellent sources in text. The International Data Group Company (IDG) series of visual how-to books was a good resource, with colorfully drawn screen-shots of its instructions for a variety of database and web applications. Another fine source was the “Dummies” book series. While remedial web sites and books were a solution for some technophobe boomers, the librarian had to be aware that some members of this generation were not going to embrace the new technologies-- nor was this required of them. The Lawrence Public Library staff used the “reference interview” and a diagnosis of the needs of individual members of this population to ascertain a “preferred format” (Grover & Carabell p6). With this knowledge the librarians were able to help patrons search for information more efficiently.. The Baby Boom Generation could be served adequately at the Lawrence Public Library, as seen from the resources available to this group.
References Chopra, D. (2000). How to Know God: The Soul’s Journey Into the Mysteries. New
York: Harmony Books.
Grossman, E. (2003). Adventuring along the Lewis and Clark Trail : Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books. Grover, R. & Carabell, J. (1995). Towards Better Information Service:Diagnosing Information Needs. Special Libraries.Winter 1995, 61-70. Jones, F. (2006). The Papercraft Weekend Workbook : From Ribbons to Rose Petals, Creative Techniques for Making 50 Stunning Projects. Pleasantville, N.Y. : Reader's Digest Association. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Full Catastrophe Living : Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness . New York : Delta Trade Paperbacks Kadlec, D. (2007). “Homeward Bound. (Life:Life After Work).” Time 169.17 (April 23,
2007): 66.
Lancaster, L & Stillman, D. (2002). When Generations Collide: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, Millennials : Who They Are, why They Clash, How to
Solve the Generational Puzzle at Work. New York: HarperBusiness.
LaRoche, L. (2001). Life is Not a Stress Rehearsal.New York: BDD Audio Lawrence Public Library Mission Statement (2006) Retrieved April 18, 2007 from http://www.lawrence.lib.ks.us/policies/mission.html Liedtke, M. (2007). New Search Engine for Aging Boomers. Buffalo News. RedOrbit Breaking News. ProQuest Information and Learning. Retrieved April 15, 2007
from http://www.redorbit.com/ news/technology/810831/new_search_engine Lowry, B. (2007). “The Boomer Century. (Television program review). Daily Variety 2 94.62 (March 27, 2997): 6(2). Retrieved April 14, 2007 from Business and Company ASAP. Thomson Gale. Emporia State University Library Mar.-Apr.2007 O’Brien, S. (2007). Why is RV Travel So Popular with Baby Boomer? About: Senior Living. Retrieved on April 20, 2007 from http://seniorliving.about.com/od/travelsmart/a/rvtravelgrowth.htm Orman, S. (2007). Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny. New York: Spiegel & Grau Reader’s Digest (2006). Dream backyards : from planters to decks, over 30 projects to
create a beautiful outdoor living space. Pleasantville, N.Y.: Author.
Tolle, E. (2001). The Power of Now: a Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. Novato, Calif. :
New World Library.
Wikipedia. (2007). Post-World War II Baby Boom. Retrieved on April 16, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-World_War_II_baby_boom Williams, G. Kay, P. & Williams, D. (2005). The Baby Guide to Caring for Your Aging Parent. Lanham: Taylor Trade Publications.
The Baby Boom Generation and the Public Library Dian Hauser Emporia State University
Abstract The Baby Boom Generation, that of Americans born between 1946 and 1964, had a large impact on society because of the unprecedented increase in births during those years. Boomers were concerned with retirement: how to manage money, how to continue to have meaning in their lives, how to enjoy their new freedom from work-when it came. Boomers, too, were still contending with the sandwich effect of having the generation below them and above them needing their support. Boomers also dealt with a rapidly changing technological world--some of them more successfully then others. The public library, as an institution, helped the boomers by recognizing their needs and attempting to fill those needs. The Lawrence Public Library was used as an example of how a library could fulfill its duty to serve this particular group.
Baby Boomers and the Library The mission of the Lawrence Public Library as stated, included the lines, "We are dedicated to the development of full and equal access to information for all people,” and "We ensure access to information for people of all ages, abilities, and means" (Lawrence, 2006). This library was committed to serving the public as completely as possible. In serving the Baby Boom generation, this vision of service meant looking at the population’s special needs and attempting to meet them by providing information pertinent to this group. The oldest boomers were turning 61 years of age in 2007, and while these first-born of the generation had not yet reached retirement age, this was fast approaching. (Wikipedia, 2007). Thus, library support included information regarding retirement concerns: how to manage money, how to continue to have a meaningful life, and how to enjoy the freedom that a post-work life afforded. Library resources for money management included ValueLine stock information in a text or online format. Another source of financial information was The Motley Fool Investment Guide: How the Fool Beats Wall Street's Wise Men and How You Can Too (Garner, 1996) and Suze Orman’s Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny (Orman, 2007). This book had information applicable to male boomers as well as to women. Resources for boomers seeking meaning in a post-work life included books on spiritual discovery, such as Deepak Chopra’s How To Know God : The Soul's Journey Into The Mystery Of Mysteries (2000). Another information source was The Power of Now: a Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle (2001).
Recreationally, boomers seemed to be following the pattern set by aging generations ahead of them. They took to the road. R.V. sales skyrocketed despite continually high gas prices. (O’Brien, p1) Intrepid tourist needed access to travel guides, such as Adventuring along the Lewis and Clark Trail : Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington (Grossman, 2003), as well as collections of State Tourism Booklets and pamphlets about roadside attractions within a particular state. State maps and Atlas that were able to be checked out to the traveler were also necessary. And for boomers desiring to globe-trot, international guides were a necessity. Lonely Planet guides and publications such as The Cities Book: a Journey Through the Best Cities in the World (Lonely Planet, 2006), as well as circulating, up-to-date foreign maps were essential. Librarians needed to provide reliable web sites with domestic and foreign travel information. One excellent site on foreign travel which librarians gave to inquiring boomers was the British Travel Advice by Country, http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Pa ge&cid=1007029390590 Boomers were also looking for things to do at home. Books on crafts and home repair were needed for this group. The Lawrence Public Library had a large selection of books published by Reader’s Digest on these subjects so that boomers would not go wanting. Titles in this area ranged from The Papercraft Weekend Workbook: From Ribbons to Rose Petals, Creative Techniques for Making 50 Stunning Projects (Jones, 2006),to Dream backyards : from planters to decks, over 30 projects to create a beautiful outdoor living space. (Author, 2006)
Boomers discovered audio books as both a way deal with weaker vision and as an accompaniment for exercise, hobbies and travel. The Lawrence Public Library offered audio download service free to patrons through the NetLibrary online source. For those boomers who preferred the act of reading, books printed in larger fonts (or Large Print books) were given more shelf space and more publicity. Retirement was not the only concern for boomers. Family matters were also pressing. Many boomers found that they were spared the dreaded “empty-nest syndrome” and all its angst. They were delivered from it by the arrival to their homes of the older generation needing care, the return of the younger generations to their childhood home, or-- for some-- the surprise development of having grandchildren to raise. Aging parents were returning to the boomer's homes to be cared for as they became more infirm (Kadlec,p1) Boomers needed information on coping with these elders and the problems their arrival brought. Medical insurance, health and well-fare, timemanagement, and blending families were all issues that the library helped address. Medical insurance questions were most accurately answered by consulting reliable websites such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources' http://www.cms.hhs.gov/home/rsds.asp. Health and well-fare concerns were covered in numerous books like The Baby Boomers Guide to Caring for Your Aging Parent by Gene Williams. The psychological stress of having elders to care for--less-time for other priorities, and less space in the home--was addressed in helpful books, like Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinns(2005), and in audiobooks for the time-starved boomer. One such tape found in the Lawrence Public Library was comic Loretta LaRoche' Life is Not a Stress Rehearsal (2001).
Boomers who found themselves sharing space with grown children could find coping information through When Generations Collide by Lynne Lancaster (2002). And grandparents who suddenly had grandchildren to raise could find help geared to their particular needs in the Parenting area of the Lawrence Public Library's Children's Room. As noted, the Baby Boom generation covered a wide age range, and this was very apparent in the group’s technological savvy. While some boomers were conversant in the most current tech updates, other members of this population were unable (and sometimes unwilling) to post an email. Databases such as Cranky.com ( http://www.cranky.com/) were geared to help the “aging baby boomer” who was confused by Google and other search engines that “spew[ed] out more than older eyes care[d] to see” (Liedtke,p1). For boomers interested in learning about technology, there were excellent sources in text. The International Data Group Company (IDG) series of visual how-to books was a good resource, with colorfully drawn screen-shots of its instructions for a variety of database and web applications. Another fine source was the “Dummies” book series. While remedial web sites and books were a solution for some technophobe boomers, the librarian had to be aware that some members of this generation were not going to embrace the new technologies-- nor was this required of them. The Lawrence Public Library staff used the “reference interview” and a diagnosis of the needs of individual members of this population to ascertain a “preferred format” (Grover & Carabell p6). With this knowledge the librarians were able to help patrons search for information more efficiently.. The Baby Boom Generation could be served adequately at the Lawrence Public Library, as seen from the resources available to this group.
References Chopra, D. (2000). How to Know God: The Soul’s Journey Into the Mysteries. New
York: Harmony Books.
Grossman, E. (2003). Adventuring along the Lewis and Clark Trail : Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books. Grover, R. & Carabell, J. (1995). Towards Better Information Service:Diagnosing Information Needs. Special Libraries.Winter 1995, 61-70. Jones, F. (2006). The Papercraft Weekend Workbook : From Ribbons to Rose Petals, Creative Techniques for Making 50 Stunning Projects. Pleasantville, N.Y. : Reader's Digest Association. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Full Catastrophe Living : Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness . New York : Delta Trade Paperbacks Kadlec, D. (2007). “Homeward Bound. (Life:Life After Work).” Time 169.17 (April 23,
2007): 66.
Lancaster, L & Stillman, D. (2002). When Generations Collide: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, Millennials : Who They Are, why They Clash, How to
Solve the Generational Puzzle at Work. New York: HarperBusiness.
LaRoche, L. (2001). Life is Not a Stress Rehearsal.New York: BDD Audio Lawrence Public Library Mission Statement (2006) Retrieved April 18, 2007 from http://www.lawrence.lib.ks.us/policies/mission.html Liedtke, M. (2007). New Search Engine for Aging Boomers. Buffalo News. RedOrbit Breaking News. ProQuest Information and Learning. Retrieved April 15, 2007
from http://www.redorbit.com/ news/technology/810831/new_search_engine Lowry, B. (2007). “The Boomer Century. (Television program review). Daily Variety 2 94.62 (March 27, 2997): 6(2). Retrieved April 14, 2007 from Business and Company ASAP. Thomson Gale. Emporia State University Library Mar.-Apr.2007 O’Brien, S. (2007). Why is RV Travel So Popular with Baby Boomer? About: Senior Living. Retrieved on April 20, 2007 from http://seniorliving.about.com/od/travelsmart/a/rvtravelgrowth.htm Orman, S. (2007). Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny. New York: Spiegel & Grau Reader’s Digest (2006). Dream backyards : from planters to decks, over 30 projects to
create a beautiful outdoor living space. Pleasantville, N.Y.: Author.
Tolle, E. (2001). The Power of Now: a Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. Novato, Calif. :
New World Library.
Wikipedia. (2007). Post-World War II Baby Boom. Retrieved on April 16, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-World_War_II_baby_boom Williams, G. Kay, P. & Williams, D. (2005). The Baby Guide to Caring for Your Aging Parent. Lanham: Taylor Trade Publications.
Related Documents
Li813 Baby Boomers
May 2020 7
Baby Boomers
May 2020 7
Baby Boomers Long Flights
December 2019 19
Baby Boomers Angry Muscles
December 2019 13
Baby Boomers Leg Manual
December 2019 13