Transcript
Page 1: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Reading development ideas for engaging an older audience in libraries

Brent Libraries

Page 2: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Health Focus

Health talks & Keep fit sessions

Alternative health events improving

awareness and prevention

Author & health specialist talks

Improved selection of health books

Partnership projects with Health and Sports

teams

Page 3: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Craft work galore & board games plus…

Crochet and knitting clubs

Learn basic pottery

Craft workshops for items for home use

Jewellery workshops

Scrabble, chess and quizzes

Page 4: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Food and appreciation Club

Healthy food cooking and practices

Natural foods; introducing new foods and

herbs

Alternative diets

Author talks

Don’t forget great book promotion displays to

encourage borrowing

Page 5: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Gardening

Growing plants indoors and outside

Growing your own herb garden and medicinal

plants

Hosting gardening surgeries like gardener’s

question time on Radio 4

Author talks

Improved selection of gardening books

Page 6: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Partnership working

Work with local partners to explore new ways of delivering joint events

Focus on art workshops

Arts and Heritage

Services

Health & Sports

Adult Social Care

Equalities and

Diversity Team

Page 7: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Good practice from other Library Services

Surrey County Council Birmingham Northamptonshire Staffordshire Bexley Havering Waltham Forest Lambeth

Page 8: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Good practice to focus on the health agenda

Arts and Older People with consultant Karen

Taylor   For best practice contact Surrey libraries. See

also their Reminiscence collection Successful History project in Birmingham :

authentic experiences of the community leading to common threads of activity

“Reggae bingo”, blues installation

Page 9: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

What really works Establishing relationships between people, not

between people and organisations

Projects where an artist or officer starts with the relationships outside the walls of their organisation and listens to the people they are trying to reach

Outreach projects based on listening and sharing of experiences

What happens outside the venue in the early days seems to make the difference

Page 10: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Northamptonshire

Application for bus passes

Volunteering for older people

Tech clubs : younger people teaching older

people

Making links with Dementia Friends –

Alzheimer’s Society – trainings and talks

Page 11: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Staffordshire

Health walks from some libraries

Very popular local and community history

events

Contact

[email protected]

Page 12: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Bexley

New handicraft stock

‘Stitch and sew’ sessions : handicraft, share

skills, chat etc.

‘Games clubs’

All volunteer led   

Joint sessions with our ‘Pop in parlours’- ran by

Age UK IT sessions, Wii sessions etc.

Page 13: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Havering

“In Stitches” and “knit and natter” Craft and chatter clubs Free but small charge for refreshments Volunteers ran by charity crafters   “Young at Heart” groups –speakers from the local

community and other council departments Limited success with self-ran art groups Very successful “Living Gratefully” group –requires more

staff interaction  Food and natter – sharing of recipes on a particular theme   Allocated staff to start, welcome and make tea half way

through

Page 14: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Waltham Forest

Partnerships with Museums and archives

Commissioning of a local writer and

partnership with The National Archive

Stories of Migration : monologue performance

with fantastic impact

Page 15: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

Lambeth

“Reminiscence” talks

Elders talking to children – stories of

immigration in the 50’s and 60’s

Film clubs (needs licensing)  

Music from the past

Storytelling/poetry readings

Page 16: Reading and development  ideas for engaging an older audience

How do we spread the word in Brent Libraries?

• Wider publicity through social media and existing

marketing

• Links with Adult Learners Week and other initiatives

• Staff signposting

• Tailored promotions and interactions with existing groups

• Marketing leaflets within libraries & outreach -“What’s On”

• Link resources with programme offered