A Community Partnership Approach to Digital Literacy Training for Older Adults Between Public Libraries and Seniors’ Organizations

Abstract

This study investigates a community partnership approach between public libraries and seniors’ organizations for older adult digital literacy training. The paper showcases a partnership between a volunteer seniors' organization, two public libraries, and a seniors' centre. Semi-structured interviews with administrators, instructors, and students were analyzed via qualitative thematic analysis techniques. Findings reveal many benefits (e.g., the leveraging of shared resources and tasks; better understanding of seniors’ training needs; better tailoring of the training to meet those needs) and challenges (e.g., the inherent tensions between different organizational structures and ways of working; difficulties establishing a sustainable mode of partnership going forward).