Adult Programs
For more information on previous programming and projects, including videos of recorded programs please visit our
Previous Programs and Projects page.
Digital Navigator Office Hours
Every Wednesday
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Struggling to get online? Finding it hard to job hunt, find housing, pay bills, or schedule appointments without internet access? The Digital Navigators of the Hudson Valley are here to help! Join Kate, our Communications Manager and Digital Navigator of the Hudson Valley, for free tech assistance. She can help you with:
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Setting up and using email
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Navigating websites for job applications
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Accessing online government services
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Scheduling online appointments
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Basic troubleshooting for personal devices
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And much more!
Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated! Email communications@roejanlibrary.org or call 518-325-4101 to reserve your spot with Kate.
Qigong & Tai Chi at the Library
Every Thursday
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Qigong and Tai Chi are approaches to movement that have been practiced for hundreds of years and are particularly helpful for dealing with stress, limited ability to move, those wishing to developing better balance and flexibility and can be practiced by nearly everyone young and old. Although Tai Chi is generally practiced standing, Qigong can be modified to allow participants to be seated.
This weekly drop-in class, open to all, is taught by David Haines, who has been a practitioner of Qigong, Tai Chi, and mindful movement for 50 years, a teacher for 40 years, and a certified Trager Movement practitioner for 35 years. Since moving into the area in 2006 he has taught at Omega Institute, Simon’s Rock college, Columbia-Greene Community College, as well as various libraries, senior centers, and school district community education classes.
Classes are held in the Roe Jan Library Community Room or outdoors, weather permitting. Wear comfortable clothes.
This project has been supported by a grant from the Fund for Columbia County of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
Tea Time at the Library
Thursday, October 23
2:30 p.m.
Plan to visit the library on the fourth Thursday of each month at 2:30 p.m. to discuss fun and informative topics. Each month’s gathering will have a different theme: listen, discuss, and enjoy a cup of tea (or coffee if that’s your preference!), and sometimes a fun activity. There will also be plenty of time to chat, get to know your neighbors, and wind down.
In October, please welcome Celia Kahn and Joyce Craw as they discuss their experience as Friends of the Library Bookshop managers.
Come join the discussion and enjoy a cup of Harney’s Tea (or coffee) and some fresh baked goods on the house.
3rd Annual SE Columbia County Repair Cafe
Saturday, October 4
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
What is a Repair Café? A Repair Café is a gathering of neighbors helping neighbors mend and repair household items in the spirit of sustainability and mutual aid.
Roe Jan Library invites you to bring clothing, bikes, knives that need sharpening, lamps, furniture, and small appliances to be repaired by a team of local “fixers” at no cost.
Want to become a volunteer ”fixer”? Email outreach@roejanlibrary.org or call Roe Jan Library at 518-325-4101 for more information.
Nature Meditation Walk
Sunday, October 5
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
This program is a nature immersion experience or a Mindful Outdoor Experience where participants will be invited to slow their minds and awaken their senses. As Americans we spend nearly 90% of our lives indoors, with almost 11 hours each day on a screen. A Mindful Outdoor Experience may help us reconnect with the land, to get outside, and to slow down, open our senses, and allow ourselves to become more curious and aware of our surroundings. Research shows the benefits of being in nature. Being outside may reduce stress hormones like cortisol, blood pressure, and heart rate. Essential oils that are secreted by trees, called phytoncides, have been shown to boost our mood and help us feel better.
We’ll be working with the practice of mindfulness – bringing our attention to our breath and the present moment as we encounter nature in a meditative way. This isn’t a strenuous hike but rather, a slow, attentive walk outside. Participants will be gently guided to follow some meditative prompts and to spend time on their own exploring the healing energies of nature.
Participants should bring a blanket or cushion that allows them to comfortably sit on the ground. If sitting on the ground is not an option, then they may want to bring a chair. The entire experience will be held outdoors, so bring what is needed to be comfortable, including extra layers, bug spray, and water. We will not be traveling very far at all, but there will be walking so comfortable shoes are recommended.
This experience will be led by Melissa Bridges. Melissa has been immersed in the Green Mountains of Vermont for the last few decades where she has studied, lived, loved and meditated among the trees and earth. She has returned to her native home of New York to spend cherished time with family. While in Vermont she engaged with nature and humans through herbalism, wild and local foods, ecstatic dance, Druidry, community gardens, women’s circles, intuitive collage, and generally all things outdoors. Through Kripalu she received her certification in Mindful Outdoor Leadership and finds part of her bliss in sharing this practice with others.
The program will take place at the Roe Jan Park. Meet at the kiosk at north end of the Roe Jan Park parking lot.
Author Talk: Thomas E. Weber – Cloud Warriors
Wednesday, October 8
6:00 p.m.
Journalist Tom Weber will discuss his new book, Cloud Warriors: Deadly Storms, Climate Chaos–and the Pioneers Creating a Revolution in Weather Forecasting (St. Martin’s Press, 2025).
Cloud Warriors is the unprecedented inside story of the people pushing boundaries of science and technology to build better weather forecasts—providing life-saving warnings and crucial intelligence about nature’s deadliest threats. From killer tornadoes and catastrophic hurricanes to lethal heat waves and raging wildfires, extreme weather brings a never-ending series of dangers. Cloud Warriors takes readers into the world of the pioneers creating game-changing forecasts critical to getting people out of harm’s way. This book will change the way you think about treacherous weather—and the power of being able to see it coming.
Thomas E. Weber is a veteran writer, editor, and newsroom executive with a lifelong interest in how science and technology shape society. He was the Wall Street Journal’s first internet columnist and later became a bureau chief for the paper. As executive editor of Time, he supervised the magazine’s feature journalism. Tom has taught journalism and publishing at Columbia University and New York University as well as at his alma mater, Princeton University. He and his wife work and live in New York City; for the past 20 years they have enjoyed spending weekends at their home in Columbia County.
Page Turners YA Book Club
Thursday, October 23
6:00 p.m.
Teens and adults are invited to join our new Page Turners YA Book Club, led by Xondra O’Connell. For our first meeting, we’ll be reading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson.
Copies are available to borrow through the Mid-Hudson Library System and on Libby. If you’d like to participate, please email Xondra at youth@roejanlibrary.org.
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Job Search and Resume Help
Job search coaching, with an emphasis on resume writing and using online resources to find jobs, is offered by volunteer Career Coach, Beth Gordon. Beth provides help with finding career opportunities, resume and cover letter writing, interviewing preparation and reviewing job resources.
Career Coaching and Job Search Help sessions cover résumé and letter writing, skills assessments, career planning and Internet job search. These one-on-one sessions are designed to help people of all ages seeking career coaching, goal setting, or help updating and improving their professional profiles.
Job Help sessions are by appointment only and are typically conducted via Zoom. You can make an appointment by calling or emailing the library or contacting Beth Gordon directly at bagordon323@gmail.com. In person help at the library can be provided with prior arrangements as well.
Senior Balance and Strength Class with Dr. Paul Spector on Zoom
Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
ZOOM LOGIN INFORMATION:
https://zoom.us/j/759916157
Meeting ID: 759 916 157
Passcode: 592902
*Please note the start date has been moved from January 12th to January 19th.*
To watch past recordings of Dr. Spector’s class, visit our YouTube channel playlist.
