Imaging Advances

Abstract

An aging workforce and population will change the United States and other developed nations, impacting the workplace, government budgets, policy, family life, and more. Why It Matters Needing adequate income and access to health care, adults may continue to work past traditional retirement ages. An aging population will challenge governments to balance support for pensions against funding for programs that benefit all citizens and/or younger citizens. Younger generations may increasingly be called upon to support, through time or money, older family members. Increased time in retirement could result in demand for leisure activities, deeper pools of volunteer talent, or need for new community and gathering spaces. Retired adults may find their way back into the workforce or campuses. Growing older adult populations will significantly influence the economies of communities, increasing demand for health care workers, the food service industry, and even new retailers. Each card includes information about the trend and considerations for why it might matter for libraries. BADGING Digital badges offer opportunities to recognize individuals' accomplishments, skills, qualities, or interests and help set goals, motivate behavior, represent achievements, and communicate success in learning offered in schools, professional settings, or daily life. Why It Matters As badging systems evolve to recognize learning that happens across a wide environment, including out-of-classroom, libraries of all types may be called upon to support the development of badges. Community-or campus-wide initiatives to support learning will likely involve cultural institutions, including libraries. If digital badges disrupt existing forms of credentialing (college and university degrees), they could significantly alter the environments in which libraries operate, especially academic libraries, or the services libraries provide, such as spaces for individuals to complete modules towards a specific job credential. ANONYMITY Anonymity, long a hallmark of communication on the internet, is a promoted feature of applications and forums allowing users to share information secretly. Why It Matters Anonymity, wherever it occurs and for whatever reasons, may be easily used to promote racist, sexist, offensive, and horrible sentiments. Libraries and librarians may fill a growing need for open dialog and reputable information. The rise of anonymity and the vulnerabilities it exposes, especially for governments and businesses, may lead to a movement against it. Understanding the role anonymity plays in free speech and intellectual freedom may become increasingly important for libraries and librarians. For some users, anonymity provides opportunities for deeper discussion and personal revelation. If anonymity can help build community, it may take on a more significant use than simple secret sharing.