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G2S Project Code: 2022-CA-92215
State: California
Fiscal Year: 2022
Grantee
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY

Project Director
Director Name: Skye Patrick
Director Phone: 562-940-8400
Director Email: spatrick@library.lacounty.gov
General Information
Title: Empowering Older Adults
State Project Code: 40-9332
Start Date: 07/01/2022
End Date: 09/30/2023
Abstract: LA County Library presented 50 digital literacy classes to English- and Spanish-speaking older adults in-person at libraries and senior centers and online via Zoom. The library expanded 12 existing digital literacy classes, updated training curricula, translated the classes into Spanish, and purchased laptops and tablets to support the classes. The classes increased participants' skills, confidence, and comfort level with technology so they could more safely carry out essential activities online.
State Goal: Goal 1: Equitable Access
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$74,646.00
$0.00
$19,258.00
$93,904.00
Intent(s)
Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Literacy
Digital Literacy
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Digital Literacy Classes
Narrative: LA County Library staff presented digital and in-person literacy curriculum to older adults via Zoom, at senior/community centers, and at a library location. The library presented a total of 39 virtual classes (11 in Spanish and 28 in English) for 2058 total attendees (an average of 53 people per class) and 11 in-person classes in English for 84 total attendees (average of 8 per class). The library received 488 post-event surveys for in-person and virtual classes. The results showed that 82 percent of respondents were age 55 and over, demonstrating that the classes connected with the target audience. 91 percent of respondents marked "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" when asked whether they "...learned something by participating in this library activity."
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Program
Format: Combined in-person & virtual


Quantity
Session length (minutes): 90
Number of sessions in program: 1
Average number in attendance per session: 8
Number of times program administered: 50


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Urban
Suburban
Rural
For what age groups: 50-59 years
60-69 years
70+ years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Hispanic
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: No


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 7400 E. IMPERIAL HIGHWAY
City: DOWNEY
State: CA
Zip: 90242
Question 1: I learned something by participating in this library activity.
Strongly Agree: 46
Agree: 422
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 20
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 2: I feel more confident about what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 488
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 3: I intend to apply what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 488
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 4: I am more aware of resources and services provided by the library.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 488
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 5: I am more likely to use other library resources and services.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 488
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Activity Details
Title: Digital Literacy Presentations
Narrative: LA County Library expanded and standardized content for twelve digital literacy PowerPoint presentations, created pre- and post-class resource handouts for each, and had all of the content translated into Spanish. The class topics were: Becoming an Empowered Consumer, Computers: The Very Basics, Email Like a Pro, Explore Video Chat Apps, Finding Credible Health Information, How to Avoid Online Scams, How to Search the Web, Locking Down Your Data, Navigating Banking Apps, Spotting Misinformation Online, Whirlwind Tour of Social Media, and YouTube for Beginners. In the post-event survey participants rated the library event from 1-5 (5 being the best), and an average of the responses was 4.7. These results suggest that the library successfully achieved its planned outcomes, which were to increase comfort levels and reduce anxiety levels about the class topic and technology in general, and for the classes to be useful.
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Content
Mode: Creation
Format: Digital


Quantity
Number of items digitized: 0
Number of items digitized and available to the public: 0
Number of physical items: 0
Number of open-source applications/software/systems: 0
Number of proprietary applications/software/systems: 0
Number of learning resources (e.g. toolkits, guides): 12
Number of plans/frameworks: 0


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Urban
Suburban
Rural
For what age groups: 50-59 years
60-69 years
70+ years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Hispanic
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: No


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 7400 E. IMPERIAL HIGHWAY
City: DOWNEY
State: CA
Zip: 90242
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
Through post-event surveys and informal emails received from participants the library learned that both virtual and in-person digital literacy classes aimed at beginner and intermediate older adults continue to be essential to addressing the digital divide for older adults. The curriculum itself was useful, for many of the participants, but the extended Q & A portion following each class was especially crucial since it served as the main opportunity in their lives to ask technology-related questions without anxiety and receive answers that they could understand at their level of digital literacy.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
LA County Library’s Adult Literacy Coordinator will make use of the purchased laptops and tablets to provide classes based on topics suggested by audience members at both libraries and outreach partner locations.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
A major lesson learned was how it was necessary for the initial timeline to be much less aggressive; a plan that anticipates potential challenges and delays allows for more realistic expectations with regards to outputs.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
No
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative
Project Tags: seniors, digital divide, digital inclusion