“APL is committed to lifelong learning”
Stop by Airdrie Public Library (APL), and you’ll quickly realize that parents and children love it there. On average, more than 650 people visit every day, with a good portion of those ranging in age from birth to eight. As such, there are a lot of programs for kids, but APL isn’t just about the little people and their patient caregivers; they also have a broad range of services and programs for the older folk.
Their adult/senior programs are designed to promote lifelong learning, whether it be a new skill or language. As studies have shown, learning anything new encourages brain health and contributes to keeping dementia at bay, and APL is committed to lifelong learning. One of the programs, Senior Coffee & Conversation, promotes this philosophy. A monthly drop-in, this gathering has become a focal point for Airdrie’s seniors to make new friends and to share and learn new things.
APL also has Community Wellness programs, which are sponsored by Highland Primary Care Networks, Community Links, Addiction and Mental Health, and Alberta Health Services and address everything from diabetes and blood pressure management to sleeping well and remaining positive.
APL also hosts financial management programs offered by the Credit Counselling Society that provide insight into a variety of topics including RRSPs, preparing for retirement and how to avoid being a victim of fraud.
Of course, adults, no matter where they are on the age scale, like to have fun. So, there are programs such as Adult Craft Nights where you learn from a skilled crafter how to make a variety of fun and useful items. Adult Games Nights, which have been running for almost two years, have become a great place to play Connect 4, Jenga, card games, and much more, while building new friendships.
ART Saturdays feature local artists who are hands on with participants in teaching various techniques, from watercolours to sketching. One-to-One Technology Help is a program where you book a 45-minute session designed to answer basic computer literacy questions. Local author Nancy Bell’s long-running Writers Workshop class will walk you through the various steps in the writing process, and the popular APL Author Series introduces you to the world of creative writing and provides opportunities to engage with published Alberta authors.
Then there are the clubs, which include adult books clubs; an adult writers club; chess, board game, and scrabble clubs; a knitters club; and the genealogy club.
There’s something for everyone at APL.
Photo Credit: iStock
