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Your Community is Aging—Play an Essential Part in Its Wellness

The 65+ population is expected to nearly double by 2060—just under one in four Americans are estimated to be at retirement age according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

As the aging population grows in the United States, older adults can experience social isolation, a widening digital divide, and fewer opportunities for lifelong learning. Public libraries are seeing increased demand to serve adults aged 55+ who are interested in learning new technology and making social connections, yet many libraries lack the staff and expertise necessary to offer community programs for aging adults.

Gale Presents: GetSetUp helps libraries bridge this gap by offering accessible online learning for seniors to grow and connect in an engaging community. Provide access to an easy-to-use platform with a rotating catalog of 5,000+ peer-led live and on-demand classes, short videos, and articles to guide your aging community to lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.

 

Explore Gale Presents: GetSetUp

Gale Presents: GetSetUp is a turnkey, online platform designed for adults aged 55+ that makes learning, community engagement, and digital skills confidence accessible through your public library.

GetSetUp Highlights

  • 5,000+ Topics: Access a wide variety of live and on-demand virtual classes for older adults, from technology and wellness to hobbies and entrepreneurship. Content is regularly refreshed to reflect trends, feedback, engagement, and seasonal topics.
  • Social, Peer-Led Learning: Classes are led by Guides aged 55+, creating a welcoming, relatable space for older adults to learn and connect with like-minded peers.
  • Live + On-Demand Access: Classes are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing patrons to learn at their own pace, at any time, and from any device.
  • Digital Literacy and Wellness: Help community members stay confident and independent by expanding digital learning for older adults with classes on tech skills, health tips, and more.
  • Full Support for Libraries: Access ongoing support for onboarding, promotional materials, staff training, and more.
  • Expand Opportunities for Lifelong Learning

    Learning doesn’t stop at a certain age. With Gale Presents: GetSetUp, you can expand lifelong learning for 55+ patrons at your library to help older adults discover new interests or deepen existing pursuits.
  • Support Cognitive and Social Wellness

    Offering social connection for aging adults helps reduce isolation, supports brain health, and promotes overall well-being.
  • Overcome the Digital Divide

    Feel confident knowing your library is a place where older adults can learn to navigate today’s world. With Gale Presents: GetSetUp, you can provide on-demand access to digital literacy for older adults, with accessible tech support and digital literacy tools.
  • Offer Age-Friendly Personal Enrichment

    Make it easier for older adults to pursue new hobbies, build relationships, and better their health. Peer-led online classes include topics like fitness, wellness, technology, travel, lifestyle, history, culture, Medicare, nutrition, and more.
  • Empower Personal Projects and Entrepreneurship

    Patrons can use Gale Presents: GetSetUp to kickstart their personal projects, start a new business, or pursue their dreams. This flexible, supportive platform offers digital learning for older adults to empower independence and creativity. 

Get Insights from GetSetUp Users

“GetSetUp is a very special community because people are curious about things. Classes try to group the interests together, so people can communicate with each other based on shared passions. Plus, it has people all the same age as me which is really good for me to relate to." — Kathy from California

 

“I work with people who struggle to join a meeting, and I see how much they appreciate GetSetUp once they start using it. The fellowship and camaraderie that comes from learning together is powerful, and I’ve seen people go from hesitant to fully engaged and excited to take more classes.” — Joe from Vermont

 

“I mostly choose to do classes on technology because that’s what I need the most help with. I text a lot, and I’m a late-night person, so I don’t want to wake people up. I learned how to schedule messages, so they send at a better time, and when I show other seniors how to do it, they’re amazed! One instructor took extra time after class to help me with a phone issue, so I didn’t have to go to the Verizon store. They go out of their way to make sure we understand.” — Sharon from Virginia

 

"I have learned more about different things than ever before. I have also discovered a passion for trying new things. In a fitness class with (Guide) Pilar, I learned more about my feet than I anticipated. I never knew that our foot had so many muscles in it. Plus, I learned the benefit of buying a little ball to exercise my feet, so they are not so stiff. Just listening to all the people talking about different things helps me learn new ideas and concepts.”  — Ina from Michigan

Offer An Intuitive, Flexible, and Comfortable Platform

  • Accessible Home Page: Participants enjoy a seamless platform with the ability to explore classes, access their class schedule, and engage with other learners all from the home page.
  • “My Schedule” Dashboard: Patrons have a personalized view of their upcoming classes and events to easily track sign-ups, adjust their schedule, and access recordings of past sessions.
  • Class Discovery: Community members can browse classes by popular categories like business, communication, cooking, creativity, and health, or search for a class that fits their interests.
  • Live Sessions with Guides: In-person video sessions with peer guides create an environment for participants to share experiences, learn from one another, and connect over common interests.
  • A Vibrant “Community”: Patrons can engage with a variety of community pages to connect with fellow learners, share experiences, and participate in engaging discussions tailored to their interests. Examples include Community-Led Sessions, Facebook Groups, Event Social Hours, Drop-in Social Sessions, and Group Activities.
  • Article Library: Older adults can explore written content at their own pace, stay informed on current trends, and deepen their knowledge in areas of interest.
  • Helen, the Digital Assistant: Helen provides users with added support to answer questions, find relevant resources, and encourage engagement in classes.
  • Multiple Languages Offered: Older adults can take classes in Hindi, Mandarin, and Spanish. Discover multilingual content using the universal search bar located at the top right corner of the home page.

Bring More Benefits to Your Library

Engage Your Aging Community

  • Add a platform that seamlessly improves community enrichment and stakeholder value.
  • Offer patrons flexible access to relevant resources, with the ability to log in at the library or remotely.
  • Attract and retain older adult patrons with resources designed to fit their interests and needs.
  • Expand equity and digital inclusion in your community. 

Access Ongoing Support

  • GetSetUp offers a turnkey library resource for older adults to learn, with no extra staff required.
  • Onboarding and training support ensure you can start providing your new resource to patrons seamlessly. 
  • Gale provides ongoing marketing materials, training resources, and technical support to help you drive success in your library. 

Pro Tip:

Use your Gale Presents: GetSetUp launch to expand in-person public library programs for seniors with minimal staff prep or expertise required. Simply stream a live or recorded session in a community room and invite patrons to join. No special equipment, curriculum planning, or subject matter expertise is needed—GetSetUp Guides lead the learning, while staff can focus on creating a welcoming space. It’s a simple, flexible way to offer high-quality community programs for aging adults that encourage social connection, learning, and repeat visits.

Why Invest in Public Library Programs for Older Adults?

Public libraries are uniquely positioned to support today’s growing community of older adults, helping them live healthier, more connected, and more independent lives. Research from leading organizations demonstrates the importance of digital inclusion, lifelong learning, and social connection for aging adults. Gale Presents: GetSetUp can help your library achieve these outcomes by expanding social connection and digital literacy for older adults with an accessible senior online education platform.

AARP 

Technology adoption among older adults is steadily increasing, with 91% of people age 50+ using smartphones—but some remain hesitant due to privacy concerns and limited support for older users.

Read more on AARP Trends → 

 

ALA Aging Well Programs 

“Large populations of older adults may shape the direction of collections, programs, and services.” – ALA Center for the Future of Libraries
Explore ALA Trends → 

 

Cambridge University

Older adults use the internet to improve their life satisfaction and well-being by using it to communicate with friends and families, maintain a wide social network, have access to information, and participate in online leisure activities.

Ready study →

 

IEEE: Connecting the Unconnected

Digital equity, which is when older adults have full access to the economic, personal, and civic benefits of digital access, is within reach. Even though the elderly digital divide looks wide, strategies and resources exist for seniors to make their golden years even brighter with help from the digital world.

Read more on the digital divide →

 

EngagingOlderAdults.org 

Older adult learners don’t just want to be passive consumers of information—they want to contribute, collaborate, and stay mentally active.
Visit EngagingOlderAdults.org → 

 

Public Libraries Online 

Libraries that successfully engage seniors create repeat visitors, long-term supporters, and powerful community advocates.
Read the article → 

Ready to Learn More?

Submit the form below to connect with your rep about how libraries can support older adults with Gale Presents: GetSetUp.

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