Original Post 2/8/2013

 

Katrice Stewart (FL)

 

I was hoping to get some input on whether or not any of you specifically count “Senior” programs as opposed to just “Adult”.  We have been having this discussion lately since we have so many “snowbirds” during the winter months and were discussing whether or not we are meeting their needs.

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

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SDC Comments:

 

Kathy Sheppard (SC)

 

Katrice, we have a survey question for “outreach” in general and that includes Senior programs.  In some cases that’s the only kind of outreach libraries so.  But we don’t limit that question to just senior services. 

 

We would only add such a specific question about programs to the survey if we wanted to track the statewide investment in such services, and we might add the question for just one year.  It would be an interesting piece of information.  But we would not want to track it every year.

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Nicolle Steffen (CO)

 

In Colorado we do not track programming for “Seniors.”

 

Although I can see value in tracking this kind of programming, I’m very glad we don’t break it out from “Adult” programming. Selfishly, I just don’t want to do the wrangling around who qualifies as a “Senior.” ;-)

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Joseph Hamlin (MI)

 

Michigan does not track Senior programming either.

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Stacey Malek (TX)

 

Texas does not break out senior programming, either.

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Ruth Hyatt (AR)

 

Arkansas does not yet break out Seniors from Adult patron data.

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Edie Huffman (IN)

 

Indiana does not track Senior programming either.  It is somewhat difficult to ascertain the difference between children and YA, and asking (or assuming) people’s ages would not go over well.  What is Senior, anyway?  We have AARP’s def., McDonald’s and other retailers, etc., etc., etc.!

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Lisa Hickle (OH)

 

Neither does Ohio. 

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Bruce Pomerantz (MN)

 

Minnesota’s response is similar to Nicolle’s with a cautionary coda.  A certain coeval (I’ve been waiting decades to use that word ), baby boomers* specifically, will take umbrage at being categorized as “senior” either now or in the future when it’s indisputable.  

 

*clue for definition of coeval

One who is of the coeval of which I speak.

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Scott Dermont (IA)

 

Iowa does not currently count senior programming.

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Diana Very (GA)

 

In Georgia we only ask about children, young adult, and adult.  

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Joyce Chapman (NC)

 

North Carolina only asks about children, YA, and adult programming too.

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Jenny Melvin (ME)

 

Same here in Maine. 

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Roberta "Robbie" DeBuff (NV)

 

Nevada only asks for children, young adult and adult.

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Darla Gunning (CA)

 

California does not track senior programming either.

 

When we do count programming, it is programs directed at a certain population/age groups and all that attended (regardless of age.) No need to ask people for their ages, we count those that attend because they are interested in a topic/activity or accompanying someone who is. This is true for children & YA programs as well. Really no different than counting circulation of children’s or YA material it is about the material that is circulated and not about those that are checking them out!

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Eleanor Bernau (NM)

 

New Mexico asks for children, young adult and “all other regardless of the age of the person attending.”

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Carole Suzui (HI)

 

In Hawaii we categorize attendees as juveniles, young adults, and adults 

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Lynn Shurden (MS)

 

Our categories in MS are children, teen, and all.

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John Myrick (WV)

 

In West Virginia, we count “Children’s Programs, YA Programs, Adult Programs, Total Programs” and then “Total Program Attendance”. Now that I see it for what it is, I don’t like it and will likely see that we count attendance in each type, and add Sr. Adults (giving definitions for all). This would allow us to track effectiveness of of goals/tasks in our 5-year plan better.

 

Is anyone else out there thinking of changes based on their 5-year plan and the “Measuring for Success” guidelines?

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Dianne Carty (MA)

 

Massachusetts does not track seniors separately.

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IMLS Response:

 

We just wanted to jump into the conversation with the hope of disentangling the federal data elements from other data SLAAs or libraries might collect. Specifically, we’d like to comment on how this conversation relates to the data collected for data elements from the PLS FY2012:

600        Total Number of Library Programs

601        Number of Children’s Programs (a subset of element 600)

602        Number of Young Adult Programs (a subset of element 600)

603        Total Attendance at Library Programs (based on the programs counted in element 600)

604        Children’s Program Attendance (a subset of element 603)

605        Young Adult Program Attendance (a subset of element 603)

 

We’d like to echo what Michael Golrick and others have said and how it relates to the data elements for the PLS.  There may be reasons, for strategic initiatives at the state level or for guiding decisions about local service delivery, that an individual library, library system, or SLAA might collect data at a more detailed level than specified for the federal collection.  These decisions to collect data are made at the state or local level, and these data are not reported up to the federal collection of the PLS. 

 

When making a decision to collect these types of data or to break-out established federal data elements into smaller components, as is the case suggested here to count Senior Adult programming numbers, it is important to be sure that these numbers can be aggregated accurately to reflect the data definitions in the federal collection that have been shaped and honed over the years by the SDCs.  Adult and Senior Adult programming numbers – both for programs and attendance at the programs – are subsumed under data elements 600 and 603.  Data for Children’s and YA programs and attendance are subsets of 600 and 603, respectively.  From the current data, one could get information on total adult programming by subtracting the children’s and YA from the total numbers, but would not be able to assess which portion of that was specifically geared toward senior adults.

 

Best,  Deanne Swan and the OPRE crew

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Robert Jones (IL)

 

Same in Illinois.