One out of every three adults in America is a Boomer. As of 2012, America's 50 and older population had reached 100 million!

But 50 years of age no longer means what it once did. Life expectancies have increased, leading many to feel younger and more capable than their chronological age might have once implied.

As the first generation to have these bonus years, Boomers are re-defining the meaning and purpose of the decades between middle and late life. An entirely new life stage is emerging in which traditional models of retirement and services to seniors are being replaced by new models of engagement – including encore careers, community service, and lifelong learning. Interestingly, Generation X and Y are also showing signs that they've adopted the Boomers' outlook on old age. So developing new outreach and new ways of looking at services to Boomers could establish library strategies for generations to come.