“Because I’m Old”: The Role of Ageism in Older Adults’ Experiences of Digital Literacy Training in Public Libraries

Abstract

Abstract This article explores the experiences of older adults attending digital literacy training sessions offered by the public library system in one city in Ontario. Semi-structured interviews with 12 older adults (age 60+) demonstrated the significance of societal and internalized ageism in shaping the experiences of participants, as well as the construction of the training as a “safe space” for experimentation. Implications for participants and future public library digital literacy training sessions are discussed, with particular attention to asset-based approaches, the need for skill development, and addressing the effects of ageism on participants. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15228835.2021.1962477 .