A field survey of Lifelong Learning Institutes and their relationships with libraries and the online lifelong learning environment, undertaken as a research project for the Metropolitan New York Library Council.

1. Grow old along with me. The best is yet to be.
—Robert Browning
Lifelong Learning &
Libraries
A preliminary investigation on a local scale

2. Members of the Team
Marilyn Kahn-
Wilen
Susan
Chute
Robert Weiss
Rajni
Misra

3. Lifelong Learning: what is
it?
“a continuously supportive process which
stimulates and empowers individuals…to acquire
all the knowledge, values, skills, and
understanding they will require throughout their
lifetimes…and to apply them with confidence,
creativity, and enjoyment in all roles,
circumstances, and environments”
The Commission for a Nation of Lifelong Learners

4. Lifelong Learning: Where is
it?
Colleges & Universities
• Lifelong Learning Institutes
Libraries
• Programs for Seniors

5. Scope of the project
Investigate local iterations of lifelong learning (LL)
programs, particularly concerning the 50+
demographic.
How are the educational and social needs of a
community addressed?
What are the similarities, differences and possibilities
for collaboration between Lifelong Learning Institutes
(LLIs) and public library programs for seniors?
How does the online educational landscape affect
local opportunities for LL?

6. Methodology
Field Collation
survey and
Research
(Onsite analysis of
interviews) results

7. Skype &
Google In person
E-mail conference
Docs meetings
calls
Communication
tools

8. Challenges
o Scheduling
o Eliciting replies from telephone
contacts

9. National Lifelong Learning
Networks
Osher Lifelong Learning Elderhostel Institute
Institute Network

10. LLI Commonalities
Sponsored by a college Social component is
or university & take place essential
on college campuses
Administered by the
Membership restricted to membership and peer
those aged 50+ or 55+ learning is emphasized
No academic credit Attract a highly educated,
continuing
Charge a and often market through
fee or dues word of mouth
Primarily self-supporting Offer a wide range of
courses, often
academically rigorous

11. LLI Field Surveys
• Molloy College
Rajni • StonyBrook University
• Farmingdale College
Marilyn • Bergen Community College
• Cedar Crest
Susan • The New School
Robert • Hofstra University

12. LLI programs, ranked by cost
Matriculat LLI Courses
LLI
LLI Hosting Type of ed Cost Course in a
Location membe
Program Institution Institution undergrad per Leaders typical
rs
s annum term
Cedarcrest
Institute for Peers,
Senior Retirement Pompton
Learning in
Living community Plains, NJ
n/a $25 outside 40
Retirement experts
Community
Farmingdal Public Farmingdal $70+*
ILR
e (SUNY) University e, NY
6858 Peers 15
*
Peers,
Bergen
Community Paramus, Faculty,
ILR Community
college NJ
800 1000* $180 Outside 52
College
experts
Stony Brook Public Stony
Osher LLI
(SUNY) University Brook, NY
1000 16341 $290 Peers 85
Molloy
Institute for Molloy Private Rockville Paid
Lifelong College College Center, NY
256 3414 $395 speakers n/a
Learning
Personal 40 single
Peers,
Enrichment Hofstra Private Hempstea
in University University d, NY
7191 $525 outside presentati
experts ons***
Retirement
Institute of
Retired The New Private New York
270 6825 $940 Peers 35

13. Three Public Libraries
& Lifelong Learning for 50+
Marilyn
• Farmingdale
• Montclair Public Library
• The New York Public Library
Public Library Rajni
Robert

14. For seniors: 3 Libraries
• Seniors regularly • Hosts well-attended
attend NYPL’s • From 2009-2010, a programs for
wealth of programs grant-funded seniors presented
& classes, few of program, Senior by the town and
which are Spaces, provided AARP
specifically directed rich programming • 2 senior outreach
at them. and classes librarians
• A selection of • Participation was • Events include:
events, such as reasonable, but not • Senior
Fitness Fairs, are spectacular Connections, a
held for the 50+ • Funding was lost referral service
demographic and the program • A Jazz Lounge &
• Some partnerships has ceased, Senior Café once
with outside although the a week
agencies, such as physical space • Periodic bus trips
Lifetime Arts, create remains
occasional
opportunities
NYPL Montclair Farmingdale

15. 3 library websites for
seniors
The New
York Public
Library
Farmingdal Montclair
e Public Public
Library Library

16. Learning that
comes to you
Telephone Tutoring
Photo by Holger.Ellgaard [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

17. The rise of
the MOOC
Lifelong learning online
May Day, Moscow. 1928. By Diego Rivera. Watercolor & Crayon. In the collections of MoMA.

18. A typology of Lifelong Learning
Online
Formally
Instructor-led
Course materials structured courses,
courses offered
from credit-bearing with lectures and
during a specific
courses interactive
time period
software
OpenCourseWar
e TedEd Coursera
• Univ of Michigan
• Notre Dame
• Spain Saylor
• & institutions from Udemy
45 other countries
Foundation
Codecademy EdX
Most of
Udacity
iTunes U

19. MOOCs
& 50+

20. Conclusions
LLIs and local libraries have little
contact, much less collaboration,
although their missions overlap.
Options for LL online are
proliferating and altering the
educational landscape
“Providing social and community
gathering places for seniors” is a
core responsibility for libraries
Collaborations and partnerships
between thriving LLIs and libraries,
and adaptations by both to the
online lifelong learning ecosystem
could add significant value in
meeting the social and intellectual
needs of the burgeoning 50+ user
base
Cartoon source: the blog Balancing Acts
http://balancingacts. wordpress.com/2010/08/09/lifelong-learning-learning-for-
life/