The university of illinois urbana-champaign school of information sciences and queens college will collaborate on a three-year research project to strengthen public library services for older adults

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the University of Illinois $1.24 million on September 1, 2026, under the National Leadership Grants program (CFDA 45.312) to strengthen public library services for older adults through a three-year research initiative.

The University of Illinois School of Information Sciences will collaborate with Queens College to identify the information needs of older adults, assess current public library services for this population, and develop librarian training materials and literacy courses. The project will employ surveys and interviews to gather data, develop training resources, and pilot-test materials in partner libraries. Deliverables include new service models and strategies for serving older adults in the AI era, evidence-based librarian training materials, literacy courses, and policy recommendations to inform public library practice.

Work is performed in Urbana, Illinois, with performance completing August 31, 2029. The National Leadership Grants program supports projects addressing critical needs in the museum and library fields with potential to advance professional practice and generate results—such as models, tools, research findings, services, practices, and alliances—that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated across the professions.

The project will identify the information needs of older adults, examine current public library services for this population, and develop training materials for librarians as well as literacy courses for older adults. These goals will be achieved through surveys, interviews, the development of training materials, and the assessment of these materials in partner libraries. Public libraries, librarians, and patrons will benefit from the project's deliverables and outcomes, which include new models and strategies for serving older adults in the AI ERA, librarian training materials, literacy courses, and evidence-based recommendations to inform user service policy and practice.