Senior Fridays: December 2007

SENIOR FRIDAYS: DECEMBER 2007 @ THE OLD BRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY

"Learn, create, sit-back and enjoy!" each Friday at 1:30pm at the Old Bridge Public Library's Central Branch.

The "Senior Spaces" Project announces the following programs scheduled for December:

December 14: Talk & Discussion
"Healthy Eating--Healthy Living"
Dr. Sandra Fahmy, DO
Sponsored by Raritan Bay Medical Center

December 21: Music and Song
"Red, White and Blue: George M. Cohan, Kate Smith & Bob Hope,"
presented by Fred Miller

December 28: Video Gaming for Older Adults
"Do You Wii? Wii do!"
Come and bring your friends and let's play the Guitar Hero III,
Brain Age Academy, Wii Bowling and more!

No registration required. Light refreshments will be served.

Senior Fridays are just one part of the library's "Senior Spaces" project funded through a contract with INFOLINK: The Eastern NJ Regional Library Cooperative and a grant from the NJ State Library.

The Central Branch of the Old Bridge Public Library is located at 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Municipal Center at the corner of Route 516 and Cottrell Road.

For information about these "Senior Spaces" Programs and for other Library information, call us at: 732-721-5600, ext. 5033.

Pennsylvania Library Association

Greetings--

I just got back from State College, PA--and the annual conference of the Pennsylvania Library Association.

My presentation on "Senior Spaces" was presented to a crowd of over 100! And several people came up to me in the halls before I left to let me know that I was quite on target. Now--how to get the information out to the 49 other states.

The infolink.org/seniorspaces web site continues to have more and more content added to it each day and I would like to commend and thank Mi-Sun Lyu for the great job that she did with it. It looks great!

The powerpoint from the presentation is being posted both here and on the Infolink website.

We would like to heat from you about what you think about our project as we re-invent library service to the baby boomers and older adults from the ground up.

Hope to hear from you soon,
Allan

"Senior Spaces" Update

Hi--

It's been a bit since I last added anything to this blog. I have been working with Mi-Sun Lyu, of Infolink on the new web page that will be premiering next week.

Here you will find a lot more detail about our "seniors spaces" project and more. I hope that you will look for it at: www.infolink.org/seniorspaces.

Several things have happened in the "space" in the last few weeks.

We had our first "official" Advisory Board Meeting in September and have our next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 9th. We are going to work on a survey with the Advisory Board to get some feedback on "programming" and the direction that should take.

Ellen O'Brien has become our very part-time "Senior Spaces" Librarian. Ellen has been a substitute librarian with the Library for the past year--now she has become a part-time Adult and Information Services Librarian. She will be working with me in the "senior spaces" area each Thursday and Friday. Today she developed the discussion piece for the film that we used on "The Homefront," during World War II. I thought that this month should have a 1940's theme to tie-in with Ken Burns' The War, showing on PBS. It went very well!

We spent yesterday and today developing and plotting out some programming ideas for the months to come. One of the new additions to our programming will be the planning of a Thursday night series aimed at the Baby Boomer generation.

Do you Wii? It is set to debut on Thursday, November 7th. We are working with out Teen Librarian, Theresa Wordelmann on that project. She is recruiting teen volunteers to assist
in training our older adults to use Wii. We also have several librarians with gaming experience and are tapping into their expertise and enthusiasm in getting this off the ground. At the moment we have 2 Wii consoles and plan to expand in the next coming months.

Last week, Ruthie Maslin, from the Lexington KY Public Library was our visitor. We gave her the Old Bridge tour, she had a chance to observe one of our Friday programs and tour "senior spaces." Soon you will be able to visit virtually from the Infolink website.

During the last two months we "tweeked" the room's arrangement to make some things flow better and now have an entire space devoted to "special needs." We would like to expand that through programming and developing a collection to meet those needs as well.

I am off next week to make a presentation for the Pennsylvania Library Association at their annual conference on "Senior Spaces" and then later in the week I am talking at the NY/NJ Chapter of MLA on Serving Baby Boomers and then off later in the month to Monterey, CA to speak at Internet Librarian on social networking and older adults. What a monthful!

Well, that's it for now. I promise this week to post most of my past presentations to both my own site at: libraryolderadults.blogspot.com and to the infolink.org/seniorspaces site. So look for them there. The more we share the more that will happen.

As always, you can find me at: Old Bridge Public Library, 732-721-5600, ext. 5042 or akleiman@oldbridgelibrary.org.

Chat with you soon,
Allan

Hi--

We continue to receive favorable reviews for our "Senior Spaces" area. This past week we had a feature article in the Middlesex County section of the Star Ledger.

Here is the link to the article:

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/middlesextowns/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1186029148304850.xml&coll=1

Here is the article as it appeared in the newspaper:

'Living room' and 'listening area' are hits at library

Thursday, August 02, 2007

BY ALLISON STEELE

Star-Ledger Staff

Senior citizens competing in Nintendo tournaments while teenagers read in the next room -- that's what the future of the Old Bridge Public Library looks like.

The library is undergoing a transformation aimed at bringing in people of all ages, thanks to $20,000 in grants from the state and the Eastern New Jersey Library Cooperative.

In the next few months, the library will become home to "Senior Spaces," a pilot program for the state designed to make the library a more inviting place for baby boomers, their parents and their children. The additions include a television and DVD player, an area with rocking chairs and more computers.

The project was designed by Assistant Library Director Allan Kleiman, who has long felt that many adults think the library is only for children, students and senior citizens.

"The reality is, people like to find a space in the library that is geared to them, and is comfortable for them, and has materials geared toward them," he said.

Kleiman was awarded $10,000 from the Eastern New Jersey Library Cooperative to fund the project, money that the New Jersey State Library agreed to match.

The first phase of the project is already in place in Old Bridge. One section of the library has been converted into a "living room" with comfortable chairs, books and other materials for middle-aged patrons and their parents, with a row of rocking chairs where people may sit and chat.

In addition, Kleiman has created a "listening area" with a television and DVD player, as well as a phonograph that plays old records dating back to 1933. Another area will have computers and equip ment to serve the visually impaired.

The state grant will go towards creating an interactive classroom with computers and other equip ment, where people may learn technology-based skills such as how to use a digital camera. Klei man also intends to buy a Nin tendo Wii video game console, which he hopes would be useful to senior citizens. Recent studies have suggested older adults may improve their hand-eye coordination from playing video games, he said, and he hopes to eventually organize a tournament.

So far, Kleiman said the library's patrons have taken to the changes. He's seen teenagers playing DVDs and CDs, senior citizens have been bringing in their old records and everyone seems to like the rocking chairs.

"People have just adopted this like it was here all the time," he said. "It's become an instant part of the library."

Kathleen Peiffer, director of the development bureau of for the state library, said other libraries are watching this project with interest.

"He's set the template for a wonderful program," Peiffer said. "I can't wait to see other communities replicate this."

Allison Steele may be reached at asteele@starledger.com or (732) 404-8083.

© 2007 The Star Ledger © 2007 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.

"Senior Spaces" Flyer

Hi--

Here is the information (as promised) giving you an outline of how the "senior spaces" room is arranged. We plan on posting pictures this week, too!

Old Bridge Public Library
"Senior Spaces"

“For Your Special Needs”
Widescreen Computer (22” Screen)
Jaws Software (Voice Output, Large Icons)
CCTV
Audiovision (Radio Reading Service from NJ State Library for the Blind &
Handicapped)
Service Center for NJ State Library for the Blind & Handicapped
Widescreen Online Catalog (OPAC) (20” Screen)

"The Display Space"
Changing Displays relating to Baby Boomer and Older Adult Issues

“The Front Porch”
Chairs to Sit and Chat , Crochet and Meet Your Neighbors

“The Bookstore”
Books (and other materials) of interest to Baby Boomers, Older adults and
their Families (Arranged by Broad Categories)

“The Memory Space”
A Place to Showcase “Memories” from the Past

“The Listening Space”
Cable TV (Watch Local Programming)
Video/DVD Player
Record Player/Cassette Player/Music CD Player

“The Living Room”
Comfortable place to read the newspaper or sit and chat

“Bulletin Boards”
Current Information on Topics of Interest

“The Online Community” (Opening Fall 2007)
More than your Ordinary Web Page for Seniors!

“The Center for Creative Learning” (Opening Fall 2007)
Space for Lifelong Learning and more!

Http://seniorspaces.blogspot.com; www.oldbridgelibrary.org

Baby boomers merit attention
Home News Tribune Online 07/6/07

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007707060392

The folks who run the Old Bridge Public Library have figured out that for their services to stay current they need to take a step backward — or, to be more specific, they must cater more aggressively to those patrons who were born between 1946 and 1964, the generation widely known as the baby boomers, who started turning 60 last year. It's a winning strategy.


Boomers number approximately 78.2 million Americans. About 7,918 of them — or 330 an hour — turn 60 every day. They are well-educated and by and large well-off. And they do one other thing that some members of younger demographic groups do not: They read — voraciously.

In Old Bridge, that will translate into a new pilot program at the library called Senior Spaces, a change in philosophy and offerings, according to library Director Allan M. Kleiman, designed to accommodate the needs, interests and concerns of this dynamic and prolific group. Smart move.

What's in the offing? To start with, cushy chairs (to ease all of those aging sacroiliacs); a "bookshop" with materials tilted toward the interests of older readers; "the front porch," with furniture and fixtures tailored to encourage sitting and conversation; a listening area featuring television, DVDs and phonograph, and a special-needs space for the visually or hearing impaired.

The New Jersey State Library is helping fund the project with a $10,000 grant, partly because Senior Spaces can serve as a model for other libraries.

No doubt it will.

"Serving the needs of older residents as the population of New Jersey ages," said State Librarian Norma E. Blake, "is one of the ways in which we can help libraries to meet the challenges of the future."

A future that is already here. Great job.

Greetings--

Our "senior spaces" project is now off and running. At our opening on June 8th, the New Jersey State Library awarded us a grant of $10,000 to continue to develop the space and move to Phase III--design and construction of our "center for creative learning."

Because we have had so many requests about the project, below you can find links to news stories and photos about "senior spaces."

If you have any additional questions, please e-mail me at: seniorspaces@oldbridgelibrary.org.

We will continue to add to the blog at: seniorspaces.blogspot.com over the summer.

Here are the links:

Library Wooing Boomers
http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070702/NEWS010223/707020402/1005/NEWS01

Library Opens Cozy Section for Seniors
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070702/NEWS03/707020329/1007

Opening Day Photos Taken by Nancy Dowd, NJ State Library
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewordblog/sets/72157600337533109/

Senior Spaces Designed for Older Library-Goers
http://suburban.gmnews.com/news/2007/0621/Front_Page/043.html

Senior Spaces Under Construction Photos Taken by Tim Niland
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=senior+spaces&m=tags

OBPL's Craft Club "Adopts" Senior Spaces
http://www.flickr.com/photos/obpl/537172810/

Let us know what you think about the project. Our next phase will also include the development of programming activities in conjunction with our newly formed "Senior Spaces Advisory Board."

Chat with you soon,
Allan

"Senior Spaces" Grand Opening June 8th
Old Bridge Public Library Board of Trustees with INFOLINK, the Eastern New Jersey Regional Library Cooperative Cordially Invite You to Attend the Grand Opening of "Senior Spaces" Friday, June 8th, 2007 10:00 am - 12:00 noon (Refreshments at 9:30 am)

Old Bridge Public Library 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Municipal Center, Old Bridge, NJ 08857(732) 721-5600 ext. 5010 Directions: www.oldbridgelibrary.org/directions.htm#central

Featured Speaker: Assemblyman Samuel M. Thompson, 13th Legislative District Member, Assembly Health & Senior Services Committee

Keynote Speaker: Betty Turock, Professor Emeritus Rutgers University, School of Library & Information Services

Project Coordinator: Allan M. Kleiman, Assistant Library Director Old Bridge Public Library

RSVP by June 1st, 2007 Call INFOLINK office at 732-752-7720/866-505-5465

INFOLINK is contracting with Old Bridge Public Library for this model incubator project that focuses on a major diversity issue impacting libraries -- in this instance the target audience is older adults. The budget for the project is $20,000 – $10,000 of which is a contract from INFOLINK.

"Senior Spaces" to Open June 8th

The Old Bridge (NJ) proudly announces that the "Senior Spaces," project will officially open on Friday, June 8th.

To inaugurate the space, the Old Bridge (NJ Public Library and the NJ INFOLINK Regional Library Cooperative, will be holding a library conference on the project. The keynote speaker for the event will be none other than Dr. Betty Turock, Professor Emeritus, School of Library & Information Studies, Rutgers University. Allan M. Kleiman, Project Director and designer of 'senior spaces," will speak about the concept, design and future of the space. A formal ribbon cutting and tour of the space will take place at the end of the morning session.

For further information on the project, contact: Allan M. Kleiman, Senior Spaces Project, Old Bridge Public Library at: 732-721-5600, ext. 5042; or e-mail: seniorspaces@oldbridgelibrary.org.

Remember: Hold the Date: More Details and Registration Information to Follow

NFOLINK Incubator Project - Senior Spaces

INFOLINK announces a 2007 calendar year contract award to the Old Bridge Public Library for a model incubator project called “Senior Spaces.” This unique project focuses on a major diversity issue impacting libraries -- in this instance the target audience is older adults. The budget for the project is $20,000 – $10,000 of which is a contract from INFOLINK.

Allan M. Kleiman, Assistant Library Director of the Old Bridge PL, shares, “What is different about this project is that we will be developing programs and services for ALL three generations of older adults—the baby boomers not yet retired, older adults who have retired in the last few years, and the elderly many who can no longer get to the library. We literary are building this space and the program from the bottom-up.”

What can INFOLINK members expect from this demonstration model?
#
Web based documentation of the project.
#
A workbook/manual to encourage other libraries to develop their own “Your Space,” step-by-step.
#
Collaboration by the INFOLINK administrative staff and the Diversity Committee.
#
An invitation to a phase one launch the morning of June 8, 2007 at the Old Bridge Public Library and more informally thereafter.
#
Presentations at targeted programs and conferences.
#
An outcomes-based evaluation at year’s end.

We are enthusiastic about this new project and support Old Bridge Public Library Director Margie Cyr, Project Manager Allan Kleiman and this member library’s efforts to redefine library services to older adults. Here are some background stats from Allan in the project overview. These figures impact INFOLINK libraries in varying ways.

In 2000 there were 1,443, 800 New Jerseyans aged 60 and over. By 2025, it is projected that the population will number over 2.5 million in this age group. While the national average is 13.5%, New Jersey already has over 17.2% of the population over 60.

More than half (58%) of the New Jersey population 60 years of age and older in 2003 resided in seven counties: Bergen, Ocean, Essex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Hudson and Union. Four of these counties comprise the INFOLINK Regional Library Cooperative: Essex, Hudson, Union and Middlesex.

About 60% of New Jersey’s minority population 60 years of age and older in 2003 resided in four counties: Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union and in addition, Middlesex had the largest percentage (8.5%) of Asian and Pacific Islanders over the age of 60.

Infolink Announces Incubator Project, Senior Spaces

INFOLINK announces a 2007 calendar year contract award to the Old Bridge Public Library for a model incubator project called “Senior Spaces.” This unique project focuses on a major audience impacting libraries -- older adults. The budget for the project is $20,000 – $10,000 of which is from INFOLINK. Allan M. Kleiman , Assistant Library Director of the Old Bridge PL, shares, “What is different about this project is that we will be developing programs and services for ALL three generations of older adults—the baby boomers not yet retired, older adults who have retired in the last few years, and the elderly many who can no longer get to the library. We literary are building this space and the program from the bottom-up.” What can INFOLINK members expect from this demonstration model? · Web based documentation of the project to track its development and results. · A workbook/manual to allow other libraries to develop their own “Your Space,” step-by-step. · Collaboration with the Old Bridge staff, INFOLINK administrative staff and the Diversity Committee . · Invitation to a phase one Senior Spaces launch at the Old Bridge Library on May 31, 2007 and more informally thereafter. · Presentations at targeted programs and conferences. · An outcomes-based evaluation at year’s end. INFOLINK is enthusiastic about this new project and supports the focus to redefine library services to older adults . Some stats from Allan in his project development: · In 2000 there were 1,443, 800 New Jerseyans aged 60 and over. By 2025, it is projected that the population will number over 2.5 million in this age group. While the national average is 13.5%, New Jersey already has over 17.2% of the population over 60. More than half (58%) of the New Jersey population 60 years of age and older in 2003 resided in seven counties: Bergen , Ocean, Essex , Middlesex, Monmouth, Hudson and Union . Four of these counties comprise the INFOLINK Regional Library Cooperative: Essex , Hudson , Union and Middlesex. About 60% of New Jersey ’s minority population 60 years of age and older in 2003 resided in four counties: Bergen , Essex , Hudson and Union and in addition, Middlesex had the largest percentage (8.5%) of Asian and Pacific Islanders over the age of 60. Cheryl O'Connor Executive Director, INFOLINK Email to: coconnor@infolink.org Tel: 732-752-7720 Fax: 732-752-7785 Toll free: 866-505-LINK Fax: 800-793-8007 Web: http://www.infolink.org CD&L: #2301 Go Back | Prev | Next | Reply | Reply All | Forward | Delete | Move To Sent

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Senior Spaces Project Proposal

As requested, here is the concept paper (proposal) for the Senior Spaces Project at the Old Bridge Public Library.

Summary:
The Old Bridge Public Library has developed an exciting and innovative idea to develop into an Incubator Project for the INFOLINK Region. The idea is to take a less used and defined space in our library and develop that area specifically for baby boomers and older adults. With a working title of “Senior Spaces,” the Library plans to transform the area into “Your Space: The Creative Learning Center @ Your Library.”

Background:
The population over aged sixty years is projected to grow substantially in the near future as the baby-boom generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) ages. In 2000 there were 1, 443, 800 New Jerseyans aged 60 and over. By 2025, it is projected, that the population will number over 2.5 million in this age group. While the national average is 13.5%, New Jersey already has over 17.2% of the population over 60, and it is expected to grow to 23.6% by 2025.

More than half (58%) of the New Jersey population 60 years of age and older in 2003 resided in seven counties: Bergen, Ocean, Essex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Hudson and Union. Four of these counties comprise the INFOLINK Region.

About 60% of New Jersey’s minority population 60 years of age and older in 2003 resided in four counties: Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union and in addition, Middlesex had the largest percentage (8.5%) of Asian and Pacific Islanders over the age of 60. Again, four of these counties comprise the INFOLINK Region. (Source: A Profile of New Jersey Older Adults Aged 60+ Years, Center for Health Statistics, NJ Department of Health & Senior Services, April 2005.)

At this time, INFOLINK public Libraries are ill equipped and experienced to deal with these changing demographics. Many libraries still view “seniors” with an ageist mindset, thinking of older adults as those folks residing in nursing homes.

The baby boomers beginning to retire are looking towards their libraries to provide recreation, lifelong learning, civic engagement, ideas for second careers, and meaningful volunteer opportunities. Very few libraries in the region have specific programs for older adults and the baby boomers.

Based on these facts there is a strong need to develop a model program that can develop innovative and creative programs and services for older adults and the baby boomers that can be replicated throughout INFOLINK. In addition, the model needs to include the Diversity that is Central New Jersey.

Libraries for the Future (LFF) has been a leading advocate for designated spaces within the library setting that can provide an anchor for a “new” type of library services to the baby boomers. But, while LFF aim their efforts only towards the “active” well-educated baby boomer ready to soon retire, INFOLINK’s demographics are quite different.

Building upon the work of LFF in Arizona and Connecticut in developing “spaces” within libraries as a focal point for boomers only, the Old Bridge Public Library has developed a new idea concept that we think is even better suited and better reflects the INFOLINK Region and New Jersey entitled, “Your Space: The Creative Learning Center @ Your Library.”

The “Your Space” Concept:
The idea of “Your Space: The Creative Learning Center @ Your Library,” was developed by the Old Bridge Public Library Board as part of the process of their Strategic Plan for 2007-2010. In it, the Library Board identified seniors and baby boomers as the “new mass audience,” and began to “think outside the box” in terms of how to differently serve this population. Part of the discussion was to find an innovative way to bring programs and services together in the Library under one “umbrella,” and look for a variety of possible models as examples.

Perhaps one of the reasons that the Old Bridge Public Library identified this as an area of concern and possibility is that Allan Kleiman, Assistant Library Director, is one of the leading proponents of “library services to older adults in the United States and beyond,” and won the 2006 Margaret Monroe Award for Library Service to Adults from the American Library Association. Looking towards the future, as part of the development of the library’s Strategic Plan, the Library has already renamed its Reference Department, the “Adult & Information Services Department,” with a focus on the adult (of all ages.) Thus making way for “Your Space” to happen!

Like the LFF models, the Old Bridge Public Library staff felt that a physical location for this project within the library was an essential component and would give “Your Space” visibility. The Library’s building design gives it a unique “edge” for this Incubator Project as well. The building is divided in seven sections or “bays,” each one with an individual theme or service component in place. They include: Children’s, Teens, Reference, A-V, Science Fiction and “Reading/Lounge areas. The proposal is to turn the Science Fiction area into “Your Space.”

The physical components of “Your Space” would take shape over the course of the first six months. This would include design of the space, purchasing books/materials, shifting library books/materials, developing a library learning center, organizing programs, signage, recruiting volunteers, making contact with community organizations to form partnerships and developing a “Your Space” Advisory Board. One of the ideas would be to house a SENIORNET Computer Learning Center within the area.

The entire staff of the Adult & Information Services Department will be involved with the growth, development and programming activities of “Your Space,” and Assistant Director Allan M. Kleiman will serve as the Project Director. A major component of “Your Space,” will be the use of baby boomer and senior volunteers ensuring right from the start community buy-in and success from the ground up.

Although physically located in Old Bridge, we also think that “Your Space” will be even more successful if we open “membership” in it to the baby boomers and seniors of INFOLINK Region.

The “Your Space” Project umbrella would certainly include some of the components already identified by Libraries for the Future and baby boomers as essential components for this type of program but also to develop components which have more of a NJ “twist.” In addition, we feel that as the project continues to develop it needs to be flexible to encompass new ideas and directions. The components of “Your Space” may include a:

· Lifelong Learning Center (in conjunction with Rutgers & Middlesex College)

· Computer Training Center (in conjunction with SENIORNET

· Volunteer Exchange Center (within the library and Community)

· Job Information Center (2^nd Career Center)

· Literacy & English-as-a-Second Language Center (in conjunction with Literacy Volunteers)

· New Immigrant Center for Learning (modeled after the Queens Borough Public Library’s New Immigrant Program

The physical space is now “claimed” by several groups that use it on a regular basis and we think would welcome “Your Space” and be potential participants in this new project. These include the Monday card players, the Tuesday knitters, the Wednesday scrapbookers and the Thursday crafters. Our most active “library club” is already the Savvy Seniors that are an independent group of active seniors that use the library as their base for programs, social activities and volunteering. In addition, in October, we are beginning “Senior Fridays,” programs for adults and older adults. These “Senior Fridays” would become a part of the programming effort of “Your Space.”

We have already begun to reach out to groups that reflect the diversity of Old Bridge and Central New Jersey. For the first time our library is celebrating “Hispanic Heritage Month” and we are planning a series of programs for the Indian (East Asian) community during November and December. The Indo-American Club composed of Indian seniors already meets in our library monthly. We would like to get them involved in “Your Space,” early in the process.

Budget:
The projected proposed budget for this project for first 18 months (January 2007-June 2008) would be $30,000. This cost includes monies for the following: space design consultant, furniture, signage, computers, programming, SENIORNET license, and publicity.

The Old Bridge Public Library will allocate $10,000 from its budget. We would therefore like to request a match of $10,000 for this Incubator Project from the INFOLINK Board. In addition, we will be requesting a similar match from the NJ State Library which has expressed an interest in the concept of the project.

The Old Bridge Public Library is committed to ensure that the project is institutionalized after June 2008 and that monies are allocated for it in its regular budget.

Evaluation:
This project lends itself to an outcome based evaluation model because we are certain of the positive impact that will happen in the community and the region. Pre and post survey questionnaires will be developed as part of the evaluation process.

We envision documenting the project’s progress on our web site as well as making presentations about it at state and national conferences and inviting library staffs from throughout INFOLINK Region and New Jersey to visit on a regular basis. In addition, a workbook/manual will be created to allow other libraries to develop their own “Your Space,” step-by-step.

Conclusion:
The Old Bridge Public Library staff and Board feel that our concept for “Your Space,” is an exciting project that is replicable within INFOLINK Region,

New Jersey, and around the country. The project brings together all the components of programs for baby boomers and older adults under one umbrella and begins with the premise that “seniors” come in every shape, size, color and age and that they never stop learning!

Allan M. Kleiman
Assistant Library Director/
Old Bridge Public Library
Executive Director/
Old Bridge Library Foundation
732-721-5600, ext. 5042
amkleiman@oldbridgelibrary.org

Creating the Space

Hi!

I just returned from ALA Midwinter last Wednesday night and returned to work on Thursday. One of the most important parts of this ALA conference was for me to start to pick-our furniture for the space.

I spoke to several of the library all purpose vendors as well as some of the furniture vendors on display. They really were no help! The furniture vendors were much too expensive for our budget and the library all purpose vendors are really good if you are working with an interior designer; so we are back to square one. I asked them all about furniture for seniors and got blank stares. I guess that can happen when you are planning for something different in the library world.

The project this week is to do some PR locally to develop the Advisory Board. It would be great to have that together for the end of February.

We are also thinking that the physical space can open at the end of the month of May, since
there is a good PR tie-in there with Older Americans Month. We plan to announce a library conference at Old Bridge that day to open the "space."

I've already had some calls from folks in libraryland that read about the project in Library Hotline. Once we know the exact date of the opening in May we will do some more library PR but for the moment the best place to read about the project is here.

If you have any questions, please give me a call at: 732-721-5600, ext. 5042 or e-mail me at:
kleiman@aol.com.

Allan Kleiman
"Senior Spaces" Project Director

Old Bridge Public Library to Develop "Senior Spaces"

For Immediate Release
For information, contact:
Allan M. Kleiman, Assistant Library Director
732-721-5600, ext. 5042
obnews@lmxac.org

Old Bridge Public Library to Develop “Senior Spaces”

“It looks just the same for now,” remarked Library Director Margie Cyr, “but what’s happening behind the scenes is going to revolutionize library service to older adults.”

The Old Bridge Public Library has embarked on a 12-month journey to develop a little-used portion of the Library and turn it into a “Senior Space.” This project was conceived as part of the Library’s developing Strategic Plan, by Assistant Library Director Allan M. Kleiman. Kleiman, known for his longtime work with library services to older adults and the baby boomers is spearheading the Project.

“We had already identified ‘older adults’ as one of our target groups before I arrived here as Assistant Library Director early in 2006,” he began. “What I am doing is taking everything that I know about library services to older adults and putting it into action.” “What is different about this project is that we will be developing programs and services for ALL three generations of older adults—the baby boomers not yet retired, older adults who have retired in the last few years, and the elderly many who can no longer get to the library.” “We literarlly are building this space and the program from the bottom-up,” he remarked.

Besides using its own resources, the Library has begun to develop funding partners for this project. The first funding partner is INFOLINK, the Eastern New Jersey Regional Library Cooperative that serves over 900 multi-type libraries in Hudson, Essex, Union and Middlesex Counties. The Library was awarded a $10,000 for an incubator project contract in November 2006.

INFOLINK’s activities encourage “librarians and library staffs to learn from each other,” remarked Cheryl O’Connor, the Regional Library Cooperative’s Executive Director. “We support the member library’s focus,” she continued, “to redefine library services to older adults and envision benefits to the library community statewide.”

The project will be well documented through the use of a Senior Spaces blog at (www.seniorspaces.blogspot.com) and Flickr pictures at: (www.flickr.com/photos/seniorspaces). Additional information, progress reports and how-to-do it tool kit will be available on the Library’s web site at: www.lmxac.obpl.

For further information about “Senior Spaces,” contact, Allan M. Kleiman, Assistant Library Director at: 732-721-5600, ext. 5042 or at: akleiman@lmxac.org.

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Welcome

Welcome to the Senior Spaces Blog at the Old Bridge (NJ) Public Library.