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Senior Citizens Reading Aloud
A successful reading promotion programme is 'Senior Citizens Reading Aloud'. It is an example of an intergenerational project within the library field, where the elderly render reading services to young children. The programme's key are senior citizens who read aloud to groups of children in elementary schools, pre-school play rooms, or libraries.
The programme started as a pilot-project which took place under the name of 50+ Reads Aloud in which five Dutch municipalities were involved (1995-1996). The local organisation of these experiments was in the hands of the public libraries, working together with a number of organisations for the elderly. The project, which was run 1996-1999, proved very successful.
Nowadays, a large number of municipalities, libraries and schools and other institutions have continued or started their own Reading Aloud Teams of Senior Citizens. The formula also allows for new varations: children reading to seniors, young people reading to younger children, seniors reading to seniors.
This last variation is a new project.
NEW PROJECT: Seniors reading aloud to Seniors
In the province of Zeeland, a new type of reading aloud programmes is tested in a Project: Reading aloud in a senior home centre. In cooperation with senior service organisations, welfare organisations and two public libraries (Vlissingen, Heinkenszand) supported by the regional library service in Middelburg, a new reading aloud service is set up. Seniors who live near a senior home centre are invited to read aloud to their fellow seniors in the home centre once a week for about half an hour.
The readers are obliged to follow a short reading aloud course. During the course they can make a choice of texts to be read aloud (poems, travel stories, articles, stories about the local history etc. After that they form a local team and one of them is coordinator, to take care of the local programme and schedule. Two groups of about 10-12 people followed the course and first sessions, and were highly satisfied with them.
Experiences and tips based on an evaluation of the first project
The success of the Senior Citizens Reading Aloud project is due to a number of factors:
the strong motivation of the 50+ readers;
the thorough preparation of the readers participating;
the well-thought out selection of reading materials;
the information given to the schools beforehand;
the involvement of the local organisers.
The senior citizens concerned consider this project as a possible means to combine their love of books with an interest in children. The children just love to be read to! The senior citizens were prepared for this task in a workshop. The local librarian gave the necessary guidance in selecting the books, and took care of the introduction to the school and play rooms concerned. The pilot-project also catered to schools situated in deprived areas, as well as to a special school for children with learning and behavioural problems. In this special case the project proved to be very successful as well. During the project, the librarians gradually recognised the 50+ readers as natural allies in reaching the goals in the field of reading promotion. The readers-team is a useful help for attracting children to reading and stories. It also is a good start for communication between young children and the elderly.
It goes without saying that a number of public libraries expressed a serious interest in the project. A national plan for implementation was developed. In this plan, special attention has been paid to the support of these libraries interested in starting a similar readers-team. The plan included a scenario, workshops for senior citizens, regional instruction meetings, as well as the establishment of a national information desk. The plan was executed in the years 1998-1999 and launched by the Secretary of State, mrs. E. Terspstra by reading aloud to a group of young children. A number of mayors (seniors!) have ever since followed her example.
Handbook
The handbook was introduced in 1996 and immediately used in a workshop in January 1997, followed by another seven in that year. All the copies were sold.
In 1998 was the booming year, especially taking benefit of the United Nations Year of the Elderly. Now in at least 100 communities libraries have organised a workshop for senior citizens to set up a readers-team. Workshops were given by librarians or by authors of children's books.
Distribution of knowledge
In order to create regional support for the libraries who wish to set up reading-teams, information meetings were held in 10 regions. Provincial library Centres are now capable of taking over the training for senior volunteers and the support of libraries.
Although the official project is over after 1999, many communities have continued their reading teams, others are willing to set up reading aloud- programmes.
Brochure 50+ Reads Aloud
A special brochure about the programme was published to inform senior organisations. It was published in 1997 and quickly out of print.
Workshops
The content of the workshops for the elderly was set up in co-operation with the project-libraries. The seniors learned about children's literature, how to select stories, how to read and make contact with the children. 1039 seniors participated in the workshops and reading-teams. Some 20 libraries have set up consultations hours to guide and support the elderly.
Audience
During these project years a number of schools and other institutions have been the scene for the reading activities of the elderly.
128 kindergartens
5 crches
134 primary schools
1 centre for asylum seekers
3 libraries
Overall, about 12,000 children have been involved in the reading aloud programmes. The elderly have mentioned that the children often responded to them after the reading aloud session. Children asked for the next time to come. They prepared the chairs for the next session, They came back to the library to borrow the book that was read aloud. Some readers were even enthusiastically recognised and greeted in the street. Parents of the children were informed about the reading programmes.
Publicity
In accordance with the project plan, many libraries have informed the media about the activities. First of all, the call for senior readers, volunteers for the programme, who would be invited for a workshop.
Press releases have been sent out the announce the workshop, to memorise the first reading aloud session, to inform about the follow-up of the project. A large collection of paper clippings is the result of all these efforts, which were well received. Many elderly could express their discoveries and experiences in working with young children, and in stimulating reading. The best advertisement a library would wish to launch.
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15 May 2026
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