1 in 8 Americans is 65 or older. By 2020 that ratio will be reduced to 1 in 6. Yet seniors are disproportionally not using their community libraries. More and more surveys are now reporting seniors are non-users or are using libraries the “same or less often” than they were 5 years ago. This combination of factors could spell problems for libraries when millage or bond issues come due and some traditional library constituent groups such as seniors find they no longer use their library and wonder why they should pay higher property taxes. How is your library doing with seniors?

On the other side, 4 million Americans are turning 21 every year. The Gen Y cohort is rapidly becoming one of the most influential groups (and will be the largest cohort) since the Baby Boomers. While this group has a number of characteristics which make them unique, the most dramatic is the Gen-Y use of technology. Almost ½ visit websites associated with advertising they see. 47% subscribe to wireless telephone services. Over 53% of that group subscribes to text messaging. The emphasis is on mobile, connected and “always on”. The impact for libraries? The Gen-Y crowd is starting to go around the library in its searches for information and quick results. Libraries will need to both bring Gen-Yers into the library to discover the values within but also direct them into library websites through value-added databases and other resources found only through the library.