Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) has established a new endowment to support the Growing Up and Growing Older: Books for Young Readers program, ensuring the initiative’s continuation in perpetuity. The endowment was created through a gift from Dr. Sandra McGuire, professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and former assistant dean and professor in the LMU-Caylor School of Nursing.
Founded by McGuire more than four decades ago, the program focuses on identifying and promoting children’s literature that offers positive, meaningful portrayals of older adults and encourages healthy perspectives on aging. The curated booklist, available through the LMU Library, serves educators, caregivers, families and students interested in fostering intergenerational understanding from an early age.
McGuire launched the booklist while pursuing her doctoral studies after recognizing that ageist attitudes often begin as early as preschool and intensify as children grow older.
“I became aware of how early ageist attitudes develop and began thinking about how we could counteract those assumptions and put children on a path to positive attitudes about aging,” McGuire said. “Early children’s literature became a powerful part of that education—preparing children to live long lives in an aging world.”
The booklist originated in the 1980s as part of McGuire’s work with the Center for Understanding Aging and has expanded steadily since LMU began hosting the website and developing a designated early children’s literature and aging collection. McGuire has consistently supported the initiative through personal donations to build the collection, which is housed in the LMU Library.
In 2021, the World Health Organization formally identified ageism as a global public health issue. McGuire said the LMU booklist directly addresses that concern by introducing children to positive representations of aging and older adults. The program has also earned national recognition and is featured on Ashton Applewhite’s Old School resource site, a nationally respected platform addressing ageism, as well as the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) https://eric.ed.gov hosted by the U. S. Department of Education.
Currently, McGuire collaborates with Rhonda Armstrong, LMU director of the library, and Sarah Seddon, head of collection engagement, to maintain and expand the booklist. The library has plans to continue growing the collection, including exploring the creation of a dedicated section to house these materials.
The endowment ensures long-term support for the program by funding ongoing acquisitions and preservation of materials that promote healthy perspectives on aging. Jared Zanet, LMU director of annual giving, said the gift reflects McGuire’s enduring commitment to education and social impact.
The announcement coincides with Older Americans Month in May, a time to recognize the contributions of older adults and promote positive aging across communities.
“I am grateful for LMU’s continuing support and interest,” McGuire said. “I hope LMU becomes known as a leader in this area. I believe it is one of the only universities with a designated early children’s literature and aging collection, and I would love to see it continue to grow.”
The Growing Up and Growing Older: Books for Young Readers booklist is available at https://library.lmunet.edu/booklist. Those interested in supporting the endowment can learn more or make a contribution at https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/28518/.
As McGuire often notes, quoting Dr. Seuss: “You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.”
