The year-long Fellowship provides a continuing education scholarship for public library staff and library professionals to advance their library and information science skills related to improving services to and engagement with active, older adults. Fellows will be introduced to a new framework for working with “baby boomers” and midlife adults ages 50+ that promotes productive aging. The Fellowship is based on the recognition that current adult and senior library services often do not reflect the character or interests of today’s “boomer” generation nor do they effectively position public libraries as resources to help adults ages 50+ remain vital and contributing members of their communities. The Fellowship will explore creative strategies for effectively serving and engaging midlife adults that establish public libraries as centers of lifelong learning and civic engagement.

The Fellowship will focus on three primary areas: (1) concepts and research underlying new approaches to working with midlife adults; (2) promising practices in public library services; and (3) leadership skills in community librarianship, including partnership development, assessment strategies, outreach and facilitation, and the uses of new social media.

Up to 100 qualified public library staff from California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington will be selected to participate as Fellows, learning from each other and current leaders and futurists in the fields of aging, health, social sciences, economics, lifelong learning, work, and civic engagement. Fellows will also benefit from the experience of public library leaders who have already implemented Transforming Life After 50 approaches in their local libraries. From July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011, the Fellowship will include:
1. Enrollment and TLA50 Ning online community participation
2. Review of selected resources and publications
3. Introductory 1 hour webinar
4. In-person training institute in Portland, Oregon
    • September 15-17, 2010
5. Six-month online learning community in building skills and applying lessons learned
    • Requires 4-6 hours of self-paced participation per month
6. Completion of 3 online surveys over the course of the Fellowship

The Fellowship is based on the principle of “action learning,” in which the acquired skills and knowledge are expected to be put to practical use at public libraries over a sustained period of time. The Fellowship is also designed as a “collaborative learning” experience, where all concerned are peers, engaged in a common effort towards a shared goal. In this collaborative context, the Fellows are at the center of the experience and share “ownership” for their own learning. Together, along with content experts and library leaders, Fellows will examine their own experiences and seek to come to individual conclusions and professional action. The goal is not some "right answer" or even consensus, but the collaborative exploration of ideas and issues. At the heart of this year-long Fellowship is a genuine conviction about the empowering value of cooperative learning.

Accepted Fellows, with the support of their Library Directors (or administrative authority), must be prepared to:

• Participate in all 6 components of the Fellowship, including:
    1. Enrollment and TLA50 Ning online community participation
    2. Review of selected resources and publications
    3. Introductory 1 hour webinar
    4. In-person training institute in Portland, Oregon
       • September 15-17, 2010
    5. Six-month online learning community in building skills and applying lessons learned
       • Requires 4-6 hours of self-paced participation per month
    6. Completion of 3 online surveys over the course of the Fellowship

• Implement Transforming Life After 50 (TLA50) approaches in their own libraries, including locally appropriate programs and engagement strategies;

• Help disseminate the TLA50 concepts through professional and public presentations, conferences and/or contributions to written resource materials; and

• Become an active member of the TLA50 community of practice by sharing experiences and insights on the TLA50 Ning online community (http://tla50resources.ning.com).

A minimum time commitment of 75 hours (including 24 training hours at the institute) is anticipated to meet the year-long Fellowship participation requirements. Successful applicants will receive full scholarships which cover Fellowship tuition, and room and board for the training institute in Portland. Fellows will also be reimbursed for all travel expenses to and from the institute.

Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of:

1) Clearly articulated professional goals, enthusiasm for becoming an active member of the Fellowship community, and a commitment to fully participate in the year-long Fellowship;

2) Evidence of success in designing and implementing new and innovative public library programs, services, and engagement strategies;

3) Experience in building collaborations and working successfully in partnership with community organizations and agencies;

4) Readiness to apply Fellowship learning and commitment to create innovation in public library practices;

5) Willingness to inspire others with new concepts and practices regarding midlife adults ages 50+ via contributions to public dialogues, professional development opportunities, and knowledge forums;

6) Evidence of an Administrative commitment (via Library Commitment Letter) to support the Fellow’s participation, including an explanation of how the Fellowship fits with the Library’s own strategic commitment to expanding and/or strengthening public library practices regarding midlife adults ages 50+; and

7) Geographic distribution and applicant diversity from the states (CA, OR, WA, ID) partnering in this Fellowship.

Because midlife adults ages 50+ are a diverse and culturally varied cohort, a diverse applicant pool is correspondingly important to this Fellowship. Minority applicants are strongly encouraged.

Selection of Fellows will be announced June 1, 2010.