Mark Prensky coined the term digital natives to describe those born after the advent of digital technology, circa 1980. He postulates that they differ fundamentally from those who came before. To carry this analogy a bit further, Prensky poses that even if we digital immigrants learn the language, we will always retain an accent.

Lark Birdsong calls many adults older than 50 technological outliers—“people at the end of the curve for receiving information literacy instruction [and] who are getting little or none,” with the understanding that not just their age, but their schooling and training may have kept them from picking up technological skills. Carol Bean, in a post on her BeanWorks blog, reminds us that libraries have become a place of refuge for older adults caught in the digital divide. As the old familiar formats become less available and more information and entertainment goes digital, those in their 50s, 60s and beyond may become threatened by marginalization if they do not learn computer skills. But so much to learn!

Public libraries have risen to the challenge; library-based computer classes are widespread and older adults make up a large portion of the attendees. Organizations such as SeniorNet also aim to bring all those who are willing into the world of computers.

Besides offering computer classes and computers for free public use, our library also offers books (surprise!), whether they be digital or in print, to take library users from computer illiteracy to proficiency. Novices can start with handbooks in all the series you would expect to give you an easy-to-understand foundation: Absolute Beginner’s guides, Complete Idiot's guides, and the For Dummies series, as well as others. Here are just a few samples:

Computers for seniors for dummies by Nancy Muir.
Complete Idiot's Guide to Computer Basics by Joe Kraynak.
How computers work by Ron White ; illustrated by Timothy Edward Downs.
Absolute beginner's guide to computer basics by Michael Miller.

300 incredible things for seniors on the Internet by Joe West & Ken Leebow ; cartoons, Randy Glasbergen].

Using the Internet safely for seniors for dummies by Linda Criddle and Nancy Muir.
Windows 7 for dummies (2 books).

Rule the Web : how to do anything and everything on the Internet-- better, faster, easier by Mark Frauenfelder.

E-mail for beginners by Web Wise Seniors.
PCs for dummies by Dan Gookin.
Macs for seniors for dummies by Mark L. Chambers.

How to be a geek goddess : practical advice for using computers with smarts and style by Christina Tynan-Wood.

Digital nation : toward an inclusive information society by Anthony G. Wilhelm
Internet effectively: a beginner's guide to the World Wide Web by Tyrone Adams.