R4 Connections: The Role of Libraries in an Aging Society: A Social Justice Imperative

Social justice is a concept which has become increasingly prominent in library research and practice. However, one population whose needs are still rarely discussed as being a social justice imperative are those of older adults. This is surprising given the growing number of challenges many older people face including ageism, elder abuse, and intersectional discrimination for being both older and a member of another marginalized population. This gap becomes even more conspicuous in light of statistics which show that people 65 and older are already the fastest growing population in the United States and in many countries around the world; older adults are also expected to see their numbers grow exponentially over the next several decades. 

In response to these realities, the presenter will share examples of his research at the intersection of libraries, older adults, and social justice. These examples frame the development of recommendations that ALA, libraries, and library workers can take to improve practice towards meeting the needs of older adults. These recommendations broadly examine what role the library should take in an aging society and considers how differing combinations of people, information, and elder justice can transform or diminish the library's role in the twenty-first century.

Guest Speaker:
Dr. Joseph Winberry - Assistant Professor, UNC School of Information and Library Science

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