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The aim of this paper is to identify resources essential gerontology (aging studies) resources and liaison strategies that provide guidance for academic librarians working with faculty and students in this highly interdisciplinary field.

A convenience sample of gerontology faculty was surveyed to identify important materials, including preferred journals, databases, reference books, and sources of grey literature for gerontology research and teaching. Gerontology faculty information seeking behaviors, including faculty-librarian partnership, were also examined.

Results confirm that faculty teaching in gerontology use a wide variety of resources in their teaching and research. Faculty identified frequently used journals, reference materials, databases as well as sources of grey literature produced by non-profits, special interest group/lobbying organizations, educational organizations, and/or government agencies.

Surveying faculty from undergraduate gerontology programs would have likely increased the number of participants completing the online questionnaire, presumably increasing the reliability of the results.

Few studies identify the resources that faculty in gerontology graduate programs value and what services the library can provide or improve. This paper addresses these gaps and recognizes the need to support the growing number of interdisciplinary programs in gerontology.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of library resources and services by degree-seeking older adult students (aged 50 years and over) and it is driven by the role of libraries in serving this often overlooked student population. Older adult students bring many benefits to the life of college campuses; nevertheless, many of these students also face challenges in meeting their information needs in academic libraries.

The authors surveyed degree-seeking older adult students at a comprehensive metropolitan university in the western USA. Surveys were distributed to 579 students enrolled in the spring semester 2013, 134 students completed the 15-question online survey about the use of the library, information-seeking behaviors and use of other university services.

The self-reported findings confirmed that the library meets most of the information needs of this student population. Students commented on satisfaction with the library services, barriers to using the library, areas in need of improvement and use of other university services.

Survey participants were gathered from one university and a corresponding sample size of 18-24-year-old students were not surveyed. More research is needed to demonstrate how this particular group varies from their traditional aged counterparts.

This paper can be used as a starting point for future research into the information-seeking behaviors and needs of degree-seeking older adult students to develop greater understanding of this diverse population and their unique strengths and challenges. There is an absence in the literature on this demographic group in academic libraries.

The article includes recommendations for further study and suggests outreach opportunities directed to older adult students that can also benefit the growing diversity of college students.