Youth/Adult Library Services

Deborah Dutcher, Library Services Director at the New Hampshire State Library and Melissa Mannon,  Library Director Kingston Community Library are rebooting the Senior Library Services group. 

If you have not already registered for this group–to receive zoom links and meeting notes sign up here: https://forms.gle/WjtmrHWU7FauTHKP6
 

If you are not a member of the Senior Library Services listserve, you may wish to sign up for that here: https://maillist2.nh.gov/mailman/listinfo/seniorlibraryservices

Thanks and we look forward to meeting with you!

Tuesday, May 14 |1:00-4:00pm &

Wednesday, May 15 |1:00-3:30pm

Join Commit to Connect and engAGED at our annual National Summit to Increase Social Connections.

This year, speakers and attendees will explore how to leverage technology to advance social connections for older adults and people with disabilities.  

The virtual summit will bring together local, state, and national leaders from across sectors working to address social isolation and loneliness.  

Learn More and Register

The Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging has some upcoming free webinars on Mobile Food: Meeting Older Adults Where They Are, Cross-Border Conversation: Parks and Recreation, Technology Supports for Healthy Aging and more. Check them out and sign up here: https://www.agefriendly.community/upcoming-events/

The Connection, Health, & Equity through Food (CHEF) grant program will provide funding to increase older adults’ equitable access to food and social connections in their communities. Grants will allow awardees to make investments in programmatic infrastructure, sustainably expand current programming and/or launch innovative, new programming that supports the food and social connection needs of older people. Priority will be given to projects and programs that serve diverse older people, veterans, and older people living with disabilities. Funds can also be used to help find solutions to the root causes of food insecurity and social isolation, including but not limited to poverty, transportation, rurality, and language barriers.

Application Period

Wednesday, May 8, 2024-Sunday, June 30, 2024

Information Session

Thursday, May 16, 2024 | 2:00pm
APPLY

Here are the links for the toolkit and activities workbook:

Design Thinking Toolkit

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lft_1L9lUPFf_TcPtRjlw9IHG-7ZwKcc/view?usp=sharing

Design Thinking Activity Workbook

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yJsGLuh0BMFp8lFqGgnJZUeFYZRQFwkw/view?usp=sharing

 

Senior Services Listserve: https://maillist2.nh.gov/mailman/listinfo/seniorlibraryservices

 

 

When we talked about themes of what seniors wanted we came up with these:

·         Scheduled interactions

·         Friendships

·         Feeling of community

·         Enrichment – creativity – culture

·         Life skills

·         Book groups

·         Games

·         Exercise

·         Intergenerational activities

·         Travel

·         Inclusive with pets

When we brainstormed programs and services:

Enrichment ideas:  Show & Tell once a month, help transcribe old documents, book bingo (patrons play on cards and win books), Ted talks & discussion, sign language for babies(teach grandparents), Community businesses come in to teach (floral, food, cocktail making, yoga, crafts), Way to track progress (photo, certificate, display, top score names), Memory café, display local art collections-have a viewing session, Senior book reviews for children’s books, fly fishing, genealogy, films & discussions, learn cribbage, bridge…, knit, crochet, coloring, drop-in games & puzzles, meditation (can be virtual), chair yoga, AARP programs, intergenerational games, partner with local organizations, focus groups/surveys, guest speakers, crafting, make & takes

Friendship/Community ideas: Old Man Boring Book Club (see Elkins Public Library/Canterbury), Musical Mondays, Classic movies, Recording life stories, armchair travel, Oscar movie viewing, Let’s Talk (discussion groups), TGIF

Intergenerational: Partner with community organizations, Guest experts, borrow sports equipment-games-try a sport day, music concerts, sharing wisdom, cross over programs-petting zoo, partner with schools-art classes-band, sports history (what was it like when you were young), music (ask an expert), pen pals, games (chess with kids), Do you remember when…storytime pitch your story to tell about your life. 

 

 

Presentations

For more info on Memory Café’s: https://www.memorycafedirectory.com/

 

Let’s Move and Learn for Better Health: Purchase items such as snowshoes to help older adults to get moving physically as part of a “library of things” and bring in speakers on a variety of health topics.

 

Intergenerational Pen Pals

For more on intergenerational activities:  Generations United manual and Penn State Extension Intergenerational Activities Sourcebook  

 

Local Guest Speakers  Access your local businesses and knowledgeable patrons for interesting workshops on subjects from floral arranging, gardening, cooking, baking and more. 

 

Oscar Time