Senior Planet Programming at Your Library

Thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan and in partnership with the Northern New York Library Network, the libraries of the Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System are excited to bring Senior Planet programming to the region. Librarians and library staff from 5 libraries have been trained in providing Senior Planet’s tried-and-true technology classes to their communities.

Senior Planet’s curriculum has been specifically designed to aid seniors in 5 key areas:

  • Financial Security
  • Civic Engagement and Advocacy
  • Social Engagement
  • Health and Wellness
  • Creative Expression

Senior Planet is presented by Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), an affiliate of AARP.

Participating Libraries

List of Upcoming Events

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is there a cost to participate?

A: No. Senior Planet programming is free to participants. For hands-on courses, you will be provided with a free course book.

Q: What kind of classes are offered?

A. Senior Planet offers lectures (one-off lectures to give you an introduction to a topic), workshops (one-time, hands-on practice with the basics of a given tool or topic), and courses (classes that meet twice a week for 5 or 10 weeks, to help you achieve a working knowledge of a tool or topic). The focus is always on using tech to improve your life.

Q: I’m uncomfortable with technology. What if the trainer goes too fast?

A: The curriculum has been designed with the needs of seniors in mind; moderate pacing, repetition and practice is built into the curriculum and will help you retain the course material. The trainers are librarians and library staff who have gone through training specific to helping older adult learners. 

Q: What if I don’t have a laptop or an iPad to use?

A: Host libraries have class sets of devices; you do not need to bring your own.

Q: What if I am out of town for part of a course?

A: Courses are designed to build knowledge week after week. If you are unable to attend more than a few sessions of a 5- or 10-week course, we encourage you to register for a one-time lecture or workshop instead, and wait until you can attend all sessions of a course. If you miss material early in the course, later classes will be much more challenging.

Q: How can I see which courses are being offered in our region?

A: Take a look at the map and the calendar on this page to see what libraries near you are offering. You may attend programs at any participating location, not just your home library.

Q: How do I register for a lecture, workshop, or course?

A: Contact the library hosting the session (click on the name of the course in the calendar to see the name, address, and phone number of the host library!)

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Senior Planet – People We Love: Norma and Art Menard