Library Type
Public
Cost:
AARP Foundation microgrant, sponsored by Google (varies depending on licensing model and student registrations commitment)
Partnership:
ATPL is working with AARP Foundation through it AARP affiliate OATS (Older Adults Technology Services) from AARP (OATS), a not-for-profit tax-exempt charitable organization organized under section 501(c)(3). Through its flagship program Senior Planet, OATS helps older adults learn to use and leverage technology to transform their lives no matter their socioeconomic circumstances, geography, educational background or age.
Description:
Learning new skills, especially digital ones, can be exciting and intimidating. That's why
Abington Township Public Library (ATPL-) teamed up with AARP Foundation, Older
Adults Technology Services (OATS), and its flagship program, Senior Planet, to provide the Digital Skills Ready@50+™ program in our community beginning July 2022 through 2023. Senior Planet instructors will teach lectures, hands-on workshops, or multi-week sessions remotely to older adult learners. Classes will be hosted at the Abington Free Library.
More than thirty-seven million adults over 50, or one in three, either live in or are at risk of
falling into poverty. During the pandemic, millions of older adults — especially women and people of color — have experienced further financial hardship as they lost jobs or income, while demand for digital skills in the labor market has also accelerated. The Digital Skills Ready@50+™ program will help increase the economic security of the most vulnerable and keep moving PA Forward as adult learners get fluent with computers, the Internet, online privacy, and security.
Elizabeth Fitzgerald, ATPL’s Executive Director explains, “Older adults come to us seeking our help and services for everyday needs, such as renewing their vehicle registrations online, getting started with email to connect with relatives or friends, downloading a digital audiobook
on their mobile devices, uploading documents or printing photos of grandchildren, and exploring
job or volunteer opportunities. Our partnership with AARP is a natural extension of our commitment to deliver relevant and high impact programming that boosts a vital foundational literacy. We want our adult learners to thrive and become confident, successful, and enthusiastic online users, walking firmly-footed during their tech learning journey.”
To further support digital literacy needs in the community, Abington Township Public Library offers essential hardware like loanable Chromebooks with Internet access and hotspots as well a rich collection of streaming services and eResources on our digital branch at abingtonfreelibrary.org. ATPL will also be recruiting young adult volunteers as hands-on helpers to reap the rich benefits of intergenerational engagement: joy, growth mindset, and
overall wellness. We do not want anyone left behind.
To learn more, visit abingtonfreelibrary.org/tech-learning
About Abington Township Public Library
Abington Township Public Library (ATPL) has served the Abington and Rockledge communities for more than 50
years. Over the decades, Abington Free Library and the Roslyn Branch have grown into a cultural and informational
center serving the informational, professional, educational, and recreational needs of Abington Township’s diverse,
multicultural community. Learn more, visit www.abingtonfreelibrary.or or follow @abingtonlibrary on social media.
About AARP Foundation
AARP Foundation works to end senior poverty by helping vulnerable people over 50 build economic opportunity. Our
approach emphasizes equitable outcomes for populations that have faced systemic discrimination. As AARP's charitable affiliate, we serve AARP members and nonmembers alike. Through vigorous legal advocacy and evidencebased solutions, and by building supportive community connections, we foster resilience, advance equity and restore
hope. To learn more, visit aarpfoundation.org or follow @AARPFoundation on social media.
About OATS from AARP OATS from AARP helps older adults learn to use and leverage technology to transform their lives and their
communities. Through its flagship program, Senior Planet, OATS works closely with older adults to create extraordinary experiences in-person and online. As one of AARP's charitable affiliates, the mission of OATS from AARP is “to harness the power of technology to change the way we age.” To learn more, visit www.oats.org or follow
@OlderAdultsTech on social media.
Contact: Anna Kraynak, Librarian, akraynak@mclinc.org, 215-885-5180 ext. 113, Info Desk.
Questions? Just Ask A Librarian by chat 24/7 at www.abingtonfreelibrary.org, text 267-245-7337,
email abingtonlibrary@mclinc.org, or stop by the Info Desk at 1030 Old York Road, Abington, PA 19001
