Library Generations

1
Library Generations

• Looking at Staff and Users Across the Age
  Spectrum

Colorado Association of Libraries Conference
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Mary Beth Chambers U of Colorado at Colorado
Springs, Kraemer Library Gwen Gregory Colorado
College, Tutt Library Emilie Satterwhite Mesa
County Libraries
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What Defines a Generation?

• All do not agree on the date range that defines a
  given generation.
• Generally all do agree that a given generation is
  defined by the shared experiences of its members.

3
Generations in Todays U.S. Workforce

• Traditionalists (born before 1946) aka Matures,
  WW II Generation, etc.
• Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964)
• Generation X (born 1965-1980) aka Xers
• Millennials (born 1977-1994) aka Gen. Y, Gen.
  Why, Nexters, Echo Boomers, etc.

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What is a Baby Boomer?
Someone who

• was born 1946-1964
• belongs to the largest group of people ever born
  in the U.S.
• came of age during times of great economic
  prosperity expansion
• parented Gen X and/or Millennial children

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Events in Baby Boomer History

• Invention of Television
• Cold War politics
• The Civil Rights Movement
• The Space Race
• The Counterculture
• Streaking
• Womens Lib
• Woodstock Rock Festival
• Vietnam War
• Mad magazine
• AssassinationsJFK, RFK, MLK

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Baby Boomers Statistics

• At about 77 million strong, Boomers represent
  nearly 27 of the U.S. population (In CO. they
  represent 31.4 of the population)
• Over 32 million are over the age of 50
  (51female 49male)
• By the year 2030, Boomers will make up about 20
  of the population.

From Demographic Profile provided by MetLife
Mature Market Institute (Based on 2005
projections)
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Baby Boomer Traits

• Optimistic/Idealistic
• Competitive
• Traditional
• Corporate loyalty
• Team oriented

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Boomers and Libraries

• Many hired in late 60s and 70s during a library
  profession growth spurt.
• Typewriters were in vogue.
• Print periodical indexes were popular.
• Boomers used card catalogs boomers created card
  catalogs.

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Boomers and Libraries contd

• Boomers recall pre-AACR2 cataloging rules.
• MARC and OCLC changed the bibliographic world.
• TWX and Telex machines sent/received ILL
  requests.
• Boomers manage Gen Xers Millennials.
• Boomers are managed by Gen Xers Millennials.
• Boomer librarians are beginning to retire.

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What is a Gen Xer?

• Born 1965-1980
• Came of age during time of economic and political
  ups and downs
• Grew up in the shadow of the Boomers
• Sandwiched between two larger generations

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Events in Gen X History

• Watergate, 1973
• 1970s and 1980s recession
• End of Vietnam War
• US hostages in Iran
• Introduction of personal computers
• Fall of Berlin Wall
• Challenger crash
• 1987 stock market crash

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Gen X Statistics

• 51 million (17 of US population, 15.4 of
  Colorado population)
• Lowest birth rate year 1976
• In 2000, only 25.9 of librarians were ages 16-39
  (Gen X / Millennial) see http//www.census.gov/eeo
  2000

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Gen X Traits and Values

• Self-reliant
• Seeks balance
• Informal
• Pragmatic
• Technoliterate
• Fun
• Individualistic
• Skeptical

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Gen X and Libraries

• Gen X has grown up with online catalogs and
  databases as they evolved
• Gen X librarians need to manage Boomers
• Gen X needs to be prepared for retirement of the
  Boomers

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What is a Millennial?

• Born 1977-1994
• Children of both Baby Boomers and Gen X
• Comprise second largest generation in U.S.
  History (after the Baby Boomers)

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Millennial Statistics

• 70 million people were born between 1977 1994
• Millennials make up over 20 of the U.S.
  population (In CO they make up 28.7 of the
  population)

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Important Events for Millennials

• Fall of the Soviet Union
• First Gulf War
• Columbine Shooting
• Oklahoma City Bombing
• September 11
• Advent of the internet, in addition to many other
  technological advances

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Millennial Traits

• Special/Sheltered/Confident
• Achieving/Pressured
• Conventional
• Team Oriented
• Tech Savvy

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Millennials and Libraries

• Desire instant gratification
• Are achievement oriented
• Expect to be rewarded on own merit
• Multitaskers
• Expect nomadic, anytime, anywhere communication

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Why address generational issues?

• Because our info-centered world has produced a
  high degree of generational mixing in the
  workplace as never seen before
• Because differences among generations based on
  economics, demographics, and world views produce
  workplace problems that must be confronted to be
  solved.

Zemke, Raines, Filipczak / Generations At Work
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Why address generational issues?

• Because we want to attract younger generations to
  the library profession.
• Because we want library services to be attractive
  and viable for younger generations of library
  users.
• Because we want to avoid generation myopia and
  generational prejudice

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Creating Successful Intergenerational
Organizations

• According to Zemke et al.
• Two key ingredients required
• Aggressive communication
• Difference deployment

Zemke, Raines, Filipczak / Generations At Work
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Aggressive communication

• Communication whereby generational differences
  and conflicts are anticipated and surfaced.
• Requires talking and listening!

Zemke, Raines, Filipczak / Generations At Work
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Difference deployment

• the tactical use of employees with different
  backgrounds, experiences, skills, and viewpoints
  to strengthen project teams, customer contact
  functions, and, at times, whole departments and
  units.

Zemke, Raines, Filipczak / Generations At Work
25
ACORN Imperatives
5 Principles used by generationally comfortable
organizations

• Accommodate Employee differences
• Create workplace choices
• Operate from sophisticated management style
• Respect competence and initiative
• Nourish retention

Zemke, Raines, Filipczak / Generations At Work
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Why Create a Generationally Comfortable Library
Workforce?

• Because we believe a generationally comfortable
  library workforce will be capable of producing
  generationally comfortable services for library
  users.

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What should you take home?

• There are generational differences you should be
  sensitive to
• The generations are not better or worse, just
  different
• Generational understanding will make meeting the
  needs of your workers, patrons, and colleagues
  easier
• Think outside your generation understand how
  others see you

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Bibliography

• Coomes, Michael D. and Robert DeBard. Serving the
  Millennial Generation. San Francisco
  Jossey-Bass, c2004.
• Curran, William M. "Succession The Next Ones at
  Bat." College Research Libraries 64 (March
  2003) 134-40.
• Dohm, Arlene. Gauging the Labor Force Effects of
  Retiring Baby-Boomers. (July 2000) 17-25.
• Downing, Kris. "Next Generation What Leaders
  need to know about the Millennials." Leadership
  in Action 26(July/Aug. 2006) 3-7.
• Gen X bites back. American Libraries September
  2004 43-45.
• Gordon, Rachel Singer. Next generation
  librarianship American Libraries v.37 no.3
  (March 2006) 36-38.
• Gordon, Rachel Singer. The bridge generation
  Library Journal v.130 no.19 (November 15, 2005)
  46.
• Howe, Neil, and Strauss, Bill. Millennials
  Rising The Next Great Generation . New York
  Vintage Books, 2000.

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Bibliography (Contd)

• Lancaster, Lynne C. "The Click and Clash of
  Generations." Library Journal 128 (October 15,
  2003) 36-39.
• Lancaster, Lynne C., and David Stillman. When
  Generations Collide Who they are. Why They
  Clash. How to Solve the Generational Puzzle at
  Work. New York HarperCollins, c2002.
• Lipscomb, Carolyn F.. "Librarian Supply And
  Demand." Journal of the American Library
  Association 91(Jan. 2006) 7-1-.
• St.Lifer, Evan. "The Boomer Brain Drain The Last
  of a Generation?" Library Journal 125(May 1,
  2000) 38-42.
• Mathews, Brian S. The inevitable Gen X coup
  Library Journal 131(March 15, 2006) 52.
• McCaffrey, Erin, and Martin Garnar. "Long-range
  Planning Across Generational Lines Eight Tips to
  Bridge the Differences." CRL News March (2006)
  144-45, 164.

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Bibliography (Contd)

• McGrath, Renee Vaillancourt. Talking bout my
  generation Public Libraries v.44 no.4
  (July/August 2005) 188-91.
• New Strategists Editors. The Millennials
  Americans Born 1977-1994. 2nd ed. Ithaca, NY New
  Stratagist Publications, c2004.
• Sweeney, Richard T. Reinventing Library
  Buildings and Services for the Millennial
  Generation. Library Administration and
  Management, 19(Fall 2005), 165-175.
• Walker, Shaundra. "Academic Library Services for
  the Millennial Generation." Georgia Library
  Quarterly 43(Summer 2006) 8-12.
• Wendover, Robert W., and Terrence L. Gargiulo. On
  Cloud Nine (an Inspiring Tale) Weathering the
  Challenge of Many Generations in the Workplace .
  New York AMACOM, c2006.
• Zemke, Ron, Claire Raines, and Bob Filipczak.
  Generations at Work Managing the Clash of
  Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in Your
  Workplace. New York AMACOM, c2000.