While in many cases services to older adults is a matter of awareness and focus, library staff that have not developed an understanding of these services will deliver inadequate services. In addition, library staff trained in these areas will become advocates for library services for seniors. U.S. Dept. of Ed, OERI, 1995. A current and explosive trend in libraries is automation and technology. Access to library collections has become automated, as has access to many reference and information sources.
Internet connections are common, and library collections themselves are being digitized.
A plethora of information about aging and about issues of interest to older adults is available over the Internet. Over 22,000 adults between the ages of 55 and 100 are members of SeniorNet, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build a community of computer-using seniors. Seniors use computers as business tools, for entertainment and for educational purposes. The Internet provides new avenues for socialization and information exchange. Targeted technology training to meet the technology needs of seniors, adaptive devices that allow easier access to technology, free email accounts, and the creation of senior computer clubs are just some services libraries should consider implementing.