2. HOW ARE LIBRARIES SERVING THE GENERATIONS?
• Younger patrons have a different view of their public library
• New university students have a different view of their university library
• Younger generations do not see the library as the primary place to
gather information
• They start their information research with the internet and often end
there.
• Older generations are running the libraries
• Newer librarians are emerging but integration into the library work
force is uneven
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3. THE GENERATIONS IN THREE POINTS
Summary Findings
• Baby Boomers are competitive and idealistic, a generation
that has been able to focus on themselves.
• Generation Xers, by contrast, are skeptical and self-reliant.
They have seen their parents divorce and institutions fail.
• Millennials are technologically savvy, diverse, and have
been raised with a global media perspective.
3
McCaffrey, E., & Garnar, M. (2006). Long-range planning across generational lines: Eight tips to
bridge the differences. College & Research Libraries News, 67(3), 144-164.
4. GENERATIONS COMPARED
4
Becker, C. (2012). Student Values and Research: Are millenials really changing the future of reference and research?.
Journal Of Library Administration, 52(6/7), 474-497. doi:10.1080/01930826.2012.707948
5. LATER GENERATIONS ARE MORE TECH
DEPENDENT AND MORE COLLABORATIVE
Summary Findings
• Gen Xers more comfortable using
technology for learning.
• GenX sees computers as a part of life,
not a “technology”.
• Millenials more attuned to team work and
group learning compared to Boomers.
• Boomers used to working independently.
• Boomers use technology least of all.
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Oblinger, D. (2003) Boomers, Gen Xers & Millenials: Understanding the new students.
Educause. https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0342.pdf
6. LIBRARIAN STAFF CHALLENGES
• Boomer librarians find it difficult to connect with new,
younger Gen X librarians.
• Mentoring relationships are difficult due to gap.
• Boomers are still in charge but giving way to Millenials.
• Boomer differ on deploying information technologies
compared to Millenials or Gen X.
• Gen X sees the library as an interactive resource, and the
patrons are more like customers.
• Cohesive technology strategies difficult to formulate.
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7. LIBRARIANS IN EACH GENERATION
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Lancaster, L. C. (2003). The Click and Clash of Generations. Library Journal, 128(17), 36-39.
8. MILLENIALS SPAN THE GAP
• Millenials share traits of Boomers and Gen X
• More comfortable with online technologies, but still skeptical
of information found on the internet
• Like to read. Older Millenials read more for pleasure,
younger read for learning.
• Look positively on the library, but not fully familiar with all the
new services the library is offering
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9. PEW ON MILLENIALS AND LIBRARY USE
• Part of the Pew Public Library
Internet Research Initiative
• Funded by the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation
• Full Report online at:
www.pewinternet.org/2014/09
/10/younger-americans-and-
public-libraries/
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10. MILLENIALS ACTUALLY LIKE LIBRARIES
Summary Findings
• Millennials’ lives are full of technology, but they are more
likely than their elders to say that important information is
not available on the internet.
• Millennials are quite similar to their elders when it comes to
the amount of book reading they do, but young adults are
more likely to have read a book in the past 12 months.
• As a group, Millennials are as likely as older adults to have
used a library in the past 12 months, and more likely to have
used a library website.
• As with the general population, most younger Americans
know where their local library is, but many say they are
unfamiliar with all the services it may offer.
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11. PUBLIC LIBRARIES TRY TO SERVE ALL USERS
• Public library users come from all generations
• Online resources are taking over. Cheaper per item, easier to
locate.
• Patrons have alternatives like Google.
• Older users less tech savvy. Younger users less patient with
technology limitations.
• Library needs to make technology simple, but still able to add more
value than Google can.
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12. ACADEMIC LIBRARIES NEED TO “OUT GOOGLE”
GOOGLE
• Students come to college with online research skills, unlike earlier
generations
• But those online skills are poor (based on Google searching)
• Academic librarians need to convince skeptical students that the
library resources are worth the time and effort
• Academic library sites need to offer Google-like search experience
• Academic librarians need to teach students how to conduct
scholarly research.
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13. FUTURE OF THE LIBRARY
• Relevance is the key
• If users feel the library matters, they will use it
• If not, they will neglect the library
• Alternatives to the library (Google, Wikipedia, internet) are
here to stay
• Libraries will need to prove their worth or they won’t be
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