Adult Programs

SEPTEMBER

Tech Help with Teens
Saturday, September 9 at 11 AM

Have a tech question you need answered? Want to learn more about what your phone, tablet, or laptop can do? Lachlan, our knowledgeable tech teen, is here to help!

Come with a question or bring your device to learn more about it. Lachlan will help you with your tech questions in a patient and respectful manner.

Limit 10 participants.
Click here to register.

Introduction to Painting
Mondays, September 18 – November 20 at 2 PM

For adults 55+
Learn to paint realistically. Participants will gain experience about how to get started on the blank canvas. Some basic drawing skills will be taught when appropriate. Participants will gain familiarity with paint pigments/colors and how to mix them to represent light and shadow so as to create depth and dimension. Participants will also learn how to use basic brushes and a variety of brush strokes and techniques will be presented.

Made possible by Lifetime Arts, the CT State Library, and the CT Arts Council.

Limit 15 participants; registration required. Click here to register.

Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Thursday, September 28 at 6 PM

Join us for a presentation by the Alzheimer’s Association, where we’ll learn:

  • The difference between normal aging and Alzheimer’s.
  • Common warning signs.
  • The importance of early detection and benefits of diagnosis.
  • Alzheimer’s disease stages and expectations for the diagnostic process.
  • Alzheimer’s Association resources.

Click here to register.

OCTOBER

Introduction to Zentangle
Thursday, October 12 at 6 PM

Join Certified Zentangle Teacher Pam Hartz Miller for an introduction to the easy-to-learn art of Zentangle! It is a practice that is relaxing, boosts creativity, increases focus and results in beautiful creations. Best of all, no art talent or experience is necessary.

Registration required; limit 12 participants Click here to register.

Learn the Art of Pointillism with Jean Rill-Alberto
Thursday, October 19 at 6 PM

Learn this fun meditative technique in which small dots of color are applied in patterns to form a design on rocks or black paper using acrylic paints and templates.

Registration required. Click here to register.

Colonial Ghost Stories with the Ain’t It Scary? Podcast
Thursday, October 23 at 6:30 PM

America has a unique and far-reaching history with stories of the strange and unusual, beginning with the very first settlers that arrived on these shores from England. From the disappearance of the Roanoke colony to the remnants of the darkness of the Salem Witch Trials to reports of George Washington’s ghost wandering the halls of Mount Vernon, there are a plethora of colonial ghost stories to explore on the East Coast. In honor of the upcoming Halloween season, the Ain’t it Scary? with Sean & Carrie podcast will be hosting an in-person presentation at Durham Public Library on October 23rd at 6:30pm covering a short history of paranormal and ghost stories with roots in the colonial era. 

The Ain’t it Scary? with Sean & Carrie podcast is hosted by Sean & Carrie McCabe, a married couple with differing viewpoints on the unbelievable. He’s skeptical. She’s spooky. Together they explore the unknown, unsolved, unbelievable, and just plain weird, with topics ranging from true crime (D.B. Cooper, Jack the Ripper), the paranormal (the Amityville Horror, Gettysburg ghosts), historical weirdness (Henry VIII, cannibalism at Jamestown) and everything, well, scary (urban legends, cryptids, conspiracies and more). “Sean & Carrie keep the conversation flowing, making you feel like you’re sitting at a dinner table discussing all things crime. It’s funny, informative, genuinely interesting and well worth a listen…” -Crime Monthly Magazine

Registration required. Click here to register.

NOVEMBER

Introduction to Journal Writing
Thursday, November 9 at 6 PM

Unlock the power of self-expression through journal writing!

Introduction to Journal Writing is a 2-hour workshop conducted by Jane Rossi, a certified journal writing instructor. Explore the art of journal writing, discover its therapeutic benefits, and embark on a journey of self-reflection and self-discovery. You will engage in a variety of writing prompts and techniques – all within a supportive and accepting environment – and leave with the resources and confidence to develop a meaningful journal writing practice of your own.

For adults 18 and over. Participants should bring their favorite journal or notebook & pen.
Limit 12 participants; registration required. Click here to register.

Winter Wreath Making
Thursday, November 30 at 6 PM

Get in the holiday spirit and join us to make a beautiful indoor winter wreath! We’ll be using yarn, winter decorations, and plenty of hot glue to make a unique wreath. We’ll provide supplies and loose instruction, and the rest is up to you!

If you have a hot glue gun, please bring it! If you have any fun supplies you want to use on your wreath – or to share with others – please bring those too!

Limit 20 participants; registration required. Click here to register.

DECEMBER

Connecticut in the Movies Book Talk with Illeana Douglas
Monday, December 4 at 6 PM

Love movies? Join us for a book talk by actress, Turner Classic Movies host, and author Illeana Douglas! Illeana will discuss her new book, Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia.

Books will be available for purchase and to be signed by the author.

Registration required. Click here to register.

Learn the Ukulele
Thursday, December 14

Want to try an instrument that is fun and easy to play? Join Julie Stepanek as she shows the fundamentals of ukulele playing. No experience necessary. Ukuleles provided!

Limit 24 participants for each session; registration required.
Click here to register for 2 PM session for adults
Click here to register for 5 PM session for families (kids 7 and under welcome!)
Click here to register for 6:30 PM session for adults and teens

MONTHLY MEETUPS

Durham Public Library Book Club
Meets at the library once a month on Mondays at 6:30 pm.
Click here for a list of upcoming discussions.

Movie Matinees
Meets every Thursday at 2:00 pm.
Drop in; no registration required.
Click here for a list of upcoming films.

Drop-In Mah Jong
Meets every Tuesday from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Whether you’re a novice or a pro, join us to play Mahjong on Tuesday afternoons! If you have a set, please bring it. Drop in; no registration required.

French Conversation Group
Meets monthly on the first Thursday of the month from 5:00 to 6:30 pm, via Zoom. Expand your speaking skills by practicing the language in a welcoming atmosphere. Open to all levels of speakers. Email Lauren at lredfield@durhamlibrary.org for registration information.

Spanish Conversation Group
Meets biweekly on Fridays from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, via Zoom. Expand your speaking skills by practicing the language in a welcoming atmosphere. Open to all levels of speakers. Email Lauren at lredfield@durhamlibrary.org for registration information.

Our special programs and events are sponsored by PALS: The Friends of the Durham Public Library.