Services for Older Adults at BPL offers inclusive programming and services tailored to our patrons over the age of 55, including lectures, films, performances and educational programs that reflect the wide interests of today’s older adults.
Programs & Classes for Older Adults
For the convenience of our older adults, we offer programming in person or virtually via Facebook Live, Zoom meetings, and streaming from our branch staff!
Books by Mail
This fast, convenient service provides books, audiobooks and videos to people who are homebound or have a visual disability.
Creative Aging
Multi-session art workshops for patrons ages 55 and older, led by a professional teaching artist.
More Services from BPL's SOA
We supply reading and viewing materials to older adults in nursing homes, senior centers and adult day-care centers. Materials include books in English and other languages (some in large print), DVDs and audiobooks. Books-to-Go Application
+Bridging the Gap: Intergenerational Debate at BPL
Bridging the Gap: Intergenerational Debate
For Teens and Older Adults ready for a fun challenge and a chance to be heard…
Bridging the Gap is a 10-week intergenerational debate program in which elders [ages 55+] and youth [ages 14-19] will learn the art of debating and practice debate skills. There will be four weeks of instruction, two weeks of practice debates, with the last four weeks of the program featuring the debate tournament and leading to a championship round. An awards ceremony and reception will take place on the final day.
Over the course of the series sessions, participants will work in intergenerational pairs learning and practicing the art of debate. From what an argument is to crafting and developing a persuasive and impactful argument, Bridging the Gap will teach youth and older adults to develop and hone their research and public speaking skills. A podcast will be produced at the end of the series capturing the experiences, observations, and insights of the participants.
Youth and older adults have some of the same challenges, including social stereotyping and political underrepresentation. Bridging the Gap will provide a safe library space for generations to learn about one another while listening to one another. It’s where the fresh, creative energy from the young will pair with the useful, tested experience of older adults.
For more information on Bridging the Gap, please contact Berena Hughes at 718-236-1760 ext. 51143 or 929-466-1158 or email bhughes@bklynlibrary.org.
Bridging the Gap: Intergenerational Debate at BPL brought to you in partnership with and made possible by a grant from The Eisner Foundation
OSOS is an ongoing oral history project exploring Brooklyn from the words of its residents.
We reach beyond the Library to visit street fairs, senior residences, nursing homes, hospice care and more. Throughout Brooklyn, we host cultural programs, speakers and presenters at senior sites.
Upcoming Events
Adult Coloring
Please join us at our adult coloring session! We provide the supplies while you partake in a relaxing way to exercise your mind.
Teens are also welcome!
Crochet Circle
Join our crochet circle , learn how to crochet while crafting "new friendships!" All skill levels are welcome.
Creative Aging: Journaling in Watercolor Culminating Event
Join us in this 9-week workshop. Participants will develop drawing, watercolor painting and journal writing skills through creative prompts and exercise, exploring and sharing their stories. Ending with a culminating event, participants will share their work and discuss their experiences.…
Creative Aging: Expressive Masks & Collage
In this 9-week Mask & Collage workshop you will be using self-expression and creative skills to create artist masks and collages. Basic paint colors mixing color theory will be covered. Various collage artists and masks from different cultures will be introduced and discussed.
Week 1 –…
Creative Aging: Move To The Beat with Silver Shoes Dance Club
Do you like music? Do you like to dance?
Whether you have experience or not this is the great program for you. You can Cha-cha, Swing, Salsa, and more. Join Daniela from Silver Shoes Dance Club for nine weeks of social dance classes.
Feel fit and fabulous learning new…
Adult Coloring
Do you enjoy coloring? Join us on Tuesdays from 2:00 - 3:00 pm for this known stress reliever.
Creative Aging: Little Joys in Life Collage
This is an interactive text and image collaging workshop series featuring poems, stories, and photos about the history of photo-poetry and its unique power to ignite the imagination. We will employ pictures taken by participants and historical photographs as we write, creating works that fuse…
Crochet Circle
Join our crochet circle , learn how to crochet while crafting "new friendships!" All skill levels are welcome.
Creative Aging: Chinese Brush Painting & Calligraphy
Learn how to paint in the Chinese style. Themes of paintings inspired by nature. Bamboo, birds and flowers, fish, scenery and other subjects. Learn the basic techniques in Chinese painting and develop your own style. An introduction to Chinese characters.
Week…
Creative Aging - Creative Life Writing: Sharing Memories
In this course, we'll focus on different themes, central to our lived experience of the world. Themes will include gratitude, adversity, happiness, and courage. Instructor Ari Satok will start each class by bringing in a variety of artistic reflections on that theme (quotes, cartoons, songs,…
Staff Picks
- History of NYC
- NYC Picture Books