Digital Inclusion for Older Adults in the North Country
Public libraries in Northern New York are building a first-rate digital literacy program throughout the region.
Engaging the expertise of the nonprofit Older Adult Technology Services (OATS), participating staff will attend virtual training sessions after which they will use the Senior Planet curriculum in their own public programming directed at older North Country residents, 60 years and older.
Any Northern New York public library that is a member of the North Country Library System (NCLS) or the Clinton Essex Franklin Hamilton Library System (CEFLS).
OATS will train public library workers on their award-winning, community-building “Senior Planet” curriculum in order to provide digital skill training to North Country residents, aged 60 years and older.
Virtual trainings occur once per quarter. The next training session begins May 16.
An information session was held on January 18 – watch the recording.
After completing the train-the-trainer program, each public library is expected to deliver digital literacy classes to older adults using the Senior Planet curriculum.
Public libraries will coordinate with their public library systems on scheduling programs and borrowing mobile technology kits / classroom sets to use for programs.
Mobile technology kits / classroom sets will be housed, maintained, and transported by the public library systems.
Participating libraries/trainers and each Public Library System will collaborate to provide future of digital inclusion work in the North Country, helping to design a sustainable program capable of reaching all communities.
View each of the Public Library System’s program landing pages:
Clinton Essex Franklin Library System
Participating public libraries will have access to circulating mobile technology kits / classroom sets that may be borrowed and used in public-facing training.
Mobile technology kits / classroom sets will be housed, maintained, and transported by the public library systems.
Timeline:
✔️ January 18, 2022; 12:00 pm: Information Session with Senior Planet for interested library members (Link to the recording)
✔️ February 1: Committed cohort finalized ℹ️ Email Christi (christi@nnyln.org) if you need assistance with the commitment form or have questions!
✔️ February 14 – March 18: Train-the-Trainer for North Country Public Libraries Participants (View the schedule here)
June 30, 2022: At least two public-facing training programs delivered within the region using the Senior Planet Curriculum
June 10, 2022 – Q3 Courses due to Christi.
September 9, 2022 – Q4 Courses due to Christi.
By December 2022: All participating public libraries have delivered at least one public-facing training program using the Senior Planet Curriculum