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As of 22 April 2009 IFLA has a totally redesigned new website
This old website and all of its content will stay on as archive – http://archive.ifla.org
We live in a society that devalues the ageing experience. The expression 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks' sums up our attitudes towards older adults, many of whom have absorbed this myth into their everyday lives and firmly believe that they are too old to learn new things. Not only is this notion simply not true, but it presents older adults from enjoying new opportunities and life experiences. This is particularly true of new technologies, which tend to be associated with youth and youth culture.
It was with these issues in mind that Kirsty Williamson, the Associate Director of the Telecommunications Needs Research Group (TNRG), set about studying how to improve older adults access to the Internet in a public library setting. The study consisted of a survey of 120 older adults (50 years and over) and observations of 60 older adults using the Internet. The study was set in three public libraries - Brighton, Box Hill and Hamilton.
The survey
The evidence for the perceived lack of application of technology to older adults' lives can easily be seen in the lack of positive feelings many respondents had for the computer. The chart below shows that the majority of people indicated a level of discomfort with computers.
As can be seen from Chart 1, 28 percent said that they had never used a computer and did not intend to in the future; 36 per cent said they had not used a computer because they did not know how, and 13 per cent indicated they used a computer when they had to, but were not really comfortable using it. This represent quite a significant proportion of the sample (77 per cent) whose feelings towards the computer were not particularly positive. On the other hand, only just over one-fifth expressed some positive feelings towards using a computer. 12 per cent said they were reasonably comfortable but felt they needed more practice and 11 per cent said they were quite confident. Therefore only a very small percentage of the older adults in the sample were completely positive in their feelings towards using a computer.
Respondents were also asked to nominate a statement which best reflected the role they thought computers had in their lives. As shown in Chart 2, 67 per cent of respondents had negative attitudes: 42 per cent thought they would never need to use computers as they were not relevant to their lives and 25 per cent said that they would use a computer if they really had to.
Reasonably positive attitudes were expressed by the 24 per cent who said that they found computers useful but not essential. Only a small number of people indicated a highly positive role for computers in their lives: 4 per cent felt that computers were a very important part of their lives and 4 per cent said they would be lost without their computer now. Those who were positive about the role of computers in their lives and in their feelings towards them were more likely to use a computer and to use it more frequently, to be younger, better educated, to have and use a computer at home, and were less likely to be on a government pension.
Further evidence for the lack of use of new technologies by older adults can be seen in the numbers of older adults who were not using the Internet: only nine of the 120 people had used the Internet once, 85 per cent of the 60 people who had used it during the study, said they would like to use it again. Some of the comments they made include:
Problems using the equipment and the Internet (WWW). Despite the overall enthusiasm, participants faced significant difficulties in using the Internet, as Table 1 shows.
| Table 1: Problems with the Internet and Computers | ||||||||||||||||
| No | Initial | Occasional | Extensive |
| Button | 66% | 28% | 5% | 2% | ||||
| Cursor | 26% | 36% | 29% | 9% | ||||
| Delete | 58% | 31% | 7% | 3% | ||||
| Hypertext | 17% | 57% | 19% | 7% | ||||
| Keywords | 59% | 34% | 5% | 2% | ||||
| Loading Screen | 31% | 62% | 5% | 2% | ||||
| Mouse | 36% | 21% | 22% | 21% | ||||
| Understanding | 41% | 36% | 12% | 10% | ||||
| Scrolling | 26% | 33% | 17% | 24% | ||||
| Search button | 53% | 35% | 9% | 3% | ||||
| Content | 62% | 26% | 2% | 10% |
The most common problem was with using the mouse, both for pointing and clicking (21 per cent) and for scrolling (24 per cent). The concepts of hypertext links and waiting for a screen to load were not easily grasped at first but, after they had been informed by observers, very few people had extensive problems with these. Remembering to place the cursor in the search box before typing was also a problem, although not an extensive one (26 per cent).
Whilst for some of the older adults, use of the mouse would improve with practice, it was obvious to the observers that, for others, it would not. Because of arthritis or tremors, these particular respondents were incapable of the fine movements required to manoeuvre a mouse. They had difficulty placing the cursor within a search engine box, placing the mouse in the arrowed boxes which allow scrolling, and coordinating the movement of the mouse and clicking it. This last problem caused a great deal of difficulty for one man with no right index finger.
Another frequent problem which, in some cases, would not improve with practice, is the ability to read the screen. Thirty per cent of the participants indicated they had problems reading the screen. Often the print was too small or the colour of the print was unreadable. They found the grey menu buttons on Netscape difficult to read and described them as being too pale. Certain combinations of coloured backgrounds and coloured text were hard to distinguish and quite a few had problems reading hypertext links in their blue or purple form. Apparently yellow was impossible to read. Some respondents had quite bad eyesight or wore bifocals which made reading the screen quite difficult.
Menu functions.
The aspects which presented the least problem were: understanding the use of buttons on Netscape (65%), understanding screen content (62%), understanding what kinds of keywords to use in searches (59%), knowing how to delete (58%), knowing to use the search button after entering keywords (53%), and to a lesser extent, remembering to read the screen for instructions (41%).
Observers took note of the menu functions people were using on Netscape. When it became obvious that participants were unable to continue their searches because of lack of knowledge, the observer gave them some clues, and, finally, the correct selection if necessary. Table 2 sets out the results.
| Table 2: Netscape menu functions | ||||||||||||
| No Clues | Some Clues | Told | Didn't Use |
| Back | 66% | 28% | 5% | 2% | ||||
| 35% | 34% | 31% | 0% | |||||
| 9% | 5% | 0% | 86% | |||||
| 19% | 3% | 0% | 78% | |||||
| 35% | 19% | 41% | 5% | |||||
| 2% | 7% | 5% | 86% | |||||
| 15% | 19% | 2% | 64% | |||||
| 40% | 28% | 15% | 17% | |||||
| 5% | 7% | 0% | 88% | |||||
| 3% | 5% | 3% | 22% | |||||
| 36% | 22% | 19% | 97% | |||||
| 0% | 3% | 0% | 97% | |||||
| 29% | 15% | 0% | 55% | |||||
| 10% | 2% | 5% | 83% | |||||
| 3% | 10% | 3% | 83% |
Other issues concerning the performance of the software.
A major issue was the lack of instructions on how to use the Internet. A common response was 'I am frustrated at not knowing what to do, and not being able to pick up any clues on the screen about where to start.' Others indicated a preference for simple instructions to be placed at the side of the computer. Some (20 per cent) expressed frustration at the time delays they experienced when trying to retrieve information from the Internet. One respondent looking for information from the Victorian Arts Center commented: 'It would be easier to ring them up'. Another pointed out that she could have found the book with the information she needed in less time.
What public libraries can do.
Some of the difficulties the older adults felt and expressed can only be dealt with by software and hardware developers and by those who put the information on the Internet. However, the responsibility for encouraging older adults to learn how to use the Internet and the actual process of learning itself lies elsewhere. As this age group is only minimally involved in the workforce or education system it has little access to places which would encourage familiarity with new technologies. Because libraries are becoming places of increasing mechanisation due to the introduction of new technologies, they represent the perfect environment for the introduction of, and training for, new technologies including the Internet, especially for those members of the community who otherwise have little access to new technologies. This is particularly the case for the older adult population who are a very important group of public library users. Computers and OPACs may no longer seem new technologies to large sections of the community who have had prolonged access to them within the workforce or education systems, but to an aged person who has been outside of those institutions for 10 years or more, they can be completely foreign. Some older women may never have been a part of the work force or may have participated in areas of low or non-existent technology. Being required to use a computer without some guidance or training may be the equivalent of asking a 30-year old with no flying experience to fly a Boeing 747. Some accompanying rear and trepidation would be expected.
There are a number of practical things libraries can do. Librarians could contribute to a more effective Web by using their expertise in the organisation of information to provide constructive criticism about software to the major software providers. VICNET also needs to be kept informed of long delays and relevant problems.
Careful consideration should be given to the placement of computers in the library. Most of the participants in the study were not deterred by having to use the Internet in a public setting, but a few said that they would have preferred a more private one. The Internet is a very different information tool from the on-line catalogue and must be treated as such. The comfort of chairs and their height in relation to the screen is very important, particularly to those with bifocal glasses. Lighting is also very important. In one library the computer was placed in a position with a lot of natural light which made the screen very difficult to read.
Those libraries which create their own home pages need to be aware of the difficulties mentioned above, such as the colours that are difficult to read.
Libraries should also consider providing special equipment for people with disabilities, such as a track ball for people who find the normal mouse difficult to use.
A key element to overcoming fear of using the Internet is understanding how it works. Providing simple instructions, illustrating key buttons and providing definitions of essential terminology on a stand near the computer screen would help prevent some of the anxiety related to using an unfamiliar technology.
The results of this study are very encouraging. They indicate that once the initial fear is over, older adults can be very positive about the Internet and in some cases very enthusiastic. However, if libraries are to be successful in providing an Internet service to this group, they need more than just facilities. They need a policy which both encourages older adults to use the Internet and facilitates their use through proper instruction, keeping in mind the problems specific to the age group. One option which appears to be successful is to use 'mentors' of the same age to encourage and teach older adults. Peer group teaching has been found to be the most successful approach in the United States (Furlong 1989). Another is to introduce group activities around certain content areas, such as a morning tea for people interested in gardening information on the Internet. If special efforts are made, it is certain that public libraries will be able to make a significant community service: assisting older people to adapt to the information and communication revolution.
Bibliography.
Bow, Amanda, Kirsty Williamson and Karen Wale, "Barriers to public access". Paper presented at the Communications Research Forum 1996. Melbourne: Bureau of Transport and Communications Economics, 1996.
Furlong, Mary. "An electronic community for older adults: the SeniorNet Network, Journal of Communications, v. 39, no.3, June 1996, pp.145-153.
Williamson, Kirsty, Amanda Bow and Karen Wale, "Older people, new technology and public libraries", in Reading the Future: Proceedings of the Australian Library and Information Association Biennial Conference. Canberra: ALIA, 1996, pp.161-170.
Williamson, Kirsty and Amanda Bow, "Older people and the Internet." Video recoding. Melbourne: RMIT, 1996.
Kirsty Williamson, currently research fellow Charles Sturt University, Co-Director, Telecommunications Needs Research Group (TNRG), RMIT.; Amanda Bow and Karen Wale, are Research Associates at the Telecommunications Needs Research Group.