Services at the Detroit Public Library

I visited the Detroit Public Library to learn about services and programs the library system offers for older adults and people with disabilities. I learned that, as my previous perusal of their website indicated, most such services are offered through the Frederick Douglass Branch for Specialized Services, which also houses the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

The Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped provides audio, large print books, and other formats to patrons who have difficulty using traditional print media. The librarian there offers programs such as book clubs, programs about the arts, and a sensory garden program that invites patrons to experience plant life through their other senses such as touch and smell.

I also spoke with the librarian in charge of the Library on Wheels, the bookmobile service also headquartered at the Douglass branch. The bookmobile delivers books and other media to senior living apartments and personal residences for patrons who might have difficulty going to the library on their own. They also sometimes set up at rec centers, community organizations and events promoting literacy. For these events, they include a selection of various reading levels to better serve patrons with cognitive disabilities.

Aside from the special services offered through the Douglass branch, free technology courses offered by the Technology, Literacy and Career (TLC) Center at the main branch are, though not targeted toward a specific age group, well attended by older adults. Similar technology courses are offered at other branches in the library system as well.

Movie discussion: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button stands out among other major motion pictures with its nuanced and realistic view of aging. The tendency in our society, especially in popular culture, is to privilege youth and view aging as tragedy. While this movie had deeply poignant moments and did not gloss over the sorrow of loss, it also showed the experiences and relationships at every stage that make life into the rich thing that it is.

Expressed by several characters in the film is the perception that life is somehow over, that you’ve finished achieving and growing as a person, when you’re no longer young. Daisy (Cate Blanchett) felt that her life was over after a car accident ended her career as a ballerina, but she went on to open her own ballet studio, have loving and meaningful relationships, and raise a daughter. Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton) regretted that she did not achieve more in her youth, then years later went on to achieve her dreams. Caroline (Julia Ormond) expressed regret in a belief that she did not turn out the way she wanted to be, but as a letter from Benjamin expressed, there was still time, and you can always change.

Even the more sorrowful moments, such as the final days of Benjamin’s and Daisy’s lives, had overtones of love and caring, which, though painful when loss is near, is what makes life worthwhile.

References

Fincher, D. (2009). The curious case of Benjamin Button [motion picture]. Hollywood, CA: Paramount Home Entertainment.

A culture of aging

Merriam-Webster defines “culture” as:

the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time (“Culture,” n.d.)

Culture is defined by common threads of belief, thought, and behavior within a social group or society as a whole (Mackelprang & Salsgiver, 2009, p. 111). It is conveyed through human interaction, observation, and communication.

I think that older adults certainly do have a culture. It may be forged from friendships and activities with other people of their age group, from experiences common to growing old, from having lived through the same historical and cultural events, and numerous other factors.

I don’t believe any culture or group can be said to be just like another, because doing so would promote a reductive understanding of the unique struggles each group has experienced. However, a culture of aging can be said to be like those of other oppressed groups in that belonging to a culture, especially a culture of people who have experienced similar oppressions, can bring empowerment through solidarity.

References

Culture. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture

Mackelprang, R., & Salsgiver, R. (2009). Disability: A diversity model approach in human service practice (2nd ed.). Chicago: Lyceum Books.

The digital divide

The digital divide is the gap results from inequalities in access to information technologies and the skills needed to use them effectively. As communications, services and commerce continue to go digital, those who do not have these resources are marginalized. Some factors that can contribute to the divide are income, education, geographic location, age, and disability.

Technologies that were designed without accessible options for older adults and people with disabilities can contribute to the divide. Computer workstations that lack ergonomic modifications or mobile devices with small buttons can pose a physical barrier to people with mobility disabilities, for example. Small displays without magnification tools or screen reading technologies can pose a barrier for those with vision impairments. An interface assumed to be intuitive by its designer can pose a challenge for users with cognitive disabilities.

The implementation of assistive technologies in libraries can help mitigate these factors. Library facilities, services and resources should be evaluated for their accessibility, and librarians should be willing to seek and implement solutions to these barriers. Beyond the simple implementation of these technologies, library staff should be trained in the use of these technologies and prepared to assist in their use.

Another contributor to the divide is lack of skill in using newer technologies. Libraries can help users of all ages and abilities to better utilize technology through classes and one-on-one assistance. Library staff should be prepared to teach patrons with a wide range of backgrounds and abilities, and should have an understanding that what seems easy and accessible for some, may not be for all.

Local library and community services for older adults

Detroit Public Library

Most of the Detroit Public Library’s services for older adults are offered through the Frederick Douglass Branch for Specialized Services. This branch includes the Detroit Subregional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, offering “Books on Tape, Digital Books, Large Print books, Descriptive Videos, regular print books about disabilities, and reference sources on the ADA” (“Detroit Subregional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped,” n.d.) This collection, though it does not specifically target the older population, is likely to serve a large population of older people who acquired disabilities later in life.

The Douglass Branch also hosts the AARP Tax-Aide Program, which offers tax preparation assistance to “Taxpayers with low and moderate income, with special attention to those age 60 and older” (“Frederick Douglass Branch for Specialized Services,” n.d.). DPL’s bookmobile service, Library on Wheels, also operates out of the Douglass Branch, bringing library services to schools and senior centers (“Library on Wheels,” n.d.).

Wayne State University Library System

A review of the WSULS website turned up little information pertaining to services specifically for older adults (“University Libraries,” n.d.). Some links to senior health information are provided on the Community Health Information Services website, which is a service of the Shiffman Medical Library (“Internet Health Resources,” n.d.).

Community organizations

An internet search for local organizations turned up several senior centers and agencies. The following is not an exhaustive list, but a sampling of what is available.

The Detroit Area Agency on Aging provides advocacy support; disseminates information, including a newsletter and radio show; offers programs for seniors, including legal and health information; sponsors Meals on Wheels; and performs and disseminates research (“Detroit Area Agency on Aging,” n.d.).

The City of Detroit Senior Citizens Department advocates for Detroit senior citizens in city legislation and policy, and provides information assistance to seniors seeking services (“Senior Citizens Department,” n.d.).

St. Patrick Senior Center provides a health care clinic, classes and activities for senior citizens. (“St. Patrick Senior Center,” n.d.).

The Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation offers housing, classes and services for senior citizens and also promotes volunteerism and community involvement for seniors (“Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation,” n.d.).

Community Partnerships

Libraries can partner with community and advocacy organizations, especially those serving a marginalized group with special needs, to great benefit. The library and its programs can benefit from the expertise of organizations specializing in certain sectors of the population, which can result in better tailored services for patrons, and organizations can benefit from the physical space, resources, and community accessibility of the library.

References

Detroit Area Agency on Aging. (n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.daaa1a.org/DAAA/

Detroit Subregional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. (n.d.). Detroit Public Library. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.detroit.lib.mi.us/specialservice/detroit-subregional-library-blind-and-physically-handicapped-lbph

Frederick Douglass Branch for Specialized Services. (n.d.). Detroit Public Library. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.org/branch/douglass

Internet Health Resources. (n.d.). Community Health Information Services. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.lib.wayne.edu/sites/chis/ihr.php

Library on Wheels. (n.d.). Detroit Public Library. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.org/specialservice/library-wheels-low

Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation. (n.d.). The Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.hannan.org/

Senior Citizens Department. (n.d.).City of Detroit. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.detroitmi.gov/DepartmentsandAgencies/SeniorCitizensDepartment.aspx

St. Patrick Senior Center. (n.d.).St. Patrick Senior Center. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.stpatseniorcenter.com/about/overview.htm

University Libraries. (n.d.). Wayne State University. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.lib.wayne.edu/

Race, ethnicity and aging

This assignment is a response to the following query:

Explain why diversity within the Hispanic older community leads to different experiences of aging for members of different subgroups. Give specific examples of the diverse responses to aging within the Hispanic American minority group. (Novak, 2009, p. 186)

Breaking down a demographic group such as Hispanic or Latino¹ into smaller subgroups, such as by nation of origin as illustrated in Novak (2009, pp. 174–178), allows a more nuanced understanding of the group based upon differing trends within each subgroup. Useful examples are the relatively lower poverty rates and higher rates of independent living for Cuban Americans compared with other Latino American subgroups (Novak, 2009, pp. 176–178).

It is essential to keep in mind, however, that within any given demographic group is an innumerable multitude of diversity which the overarching label does not account for. While labeling populations can be useful for gaining a better understanding of their needs, it is dangerous to view any group, or subgroup, as monolithic.

The overarching label of “Latino” includes people who identify as white and of color; people who were born inside and outside the United States; people who are fluent and not fluent in English; people who are fluent and not fluent in Spanish; people who descend primarily from Aboriginal North, Central and South Americans; people who descend primarily from European settlers and countless combinations of the two groups and others; etc.

These statistics and generalizations can help librarians to better prepare to meet the information needs of their communities at large and combat inequalities in information access. However, to assume we already know something of the lives of the people we meet based upon these anecdotes and statistical trends is to risk further alienating the individuals we are trying to serve.

Footnotes

¹ After considering the two terms and discussing their meanings with friends and colleagues who identify as part of this demographic, I have chosen to use the term “Latino” rather than “Hispanic.” A well-framed discussion of the connotations of each term can be found in Vázquez (N.d.).

References

Novak, M. (2009). Issues in aging (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Vázquez, R. L. (n.d.). ¿Hispanic or Latino? las Culturas. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.lasculturas.com/aa/aa070501a.htm