Continuing Education Opportunities at Our Library

By Eileen Smith, Library Committee
Originally published in the July 2022 issue of the 1666 Coffman Newsletter

Intellectual curiosity and the joy of learning are touted as tools to keep the mind sharp as the years advance. Here at 1666 Coffman, it has been and continues to be a way of life for many, not something that ends with retirement. Rather, one advantage of retirement is that we have time to explore interests that were crowded out in the midst of increased specialization and a busy work schedule. A number of ​us take continuing education classes, but this has been more difficult since COVID arrived.

The Teaching Company has been producing the Great Courses series since 1990. These are college-level courses on a wide range of topics taught by award-winning professors from across the United States. Each “lecture” is thirty to forty-five minutes long; full courses range in length from three hours to twenty-four hours or longer. It is an 

easy way to learn something new—and there are no tests! The public libraries carry many of these courses; I’m using one now to review some lapsed foreign language skills.

Thanks to donations, Coffman Library has added seven titles from the Great Courses to our collection: five DVD sets and two CD (audiobook) sets, most with accompanying guidebooks (the books are shelved separately in the appropriate print section). For a taste of art history, Tai chi, ancient and medieval European history, music history, the story of jazz, the science and psychology of color, or customs of the world, check these out from the DVD/CD section on the upper level of the Library. Enjoy them while exercising, crafting, or simply relaxing, either on your own or with a fellow perpetual student.