Societies & Organizations
Open up any paper that lists local events and happenings and you’re sure to see all types of classes and courses offered by nearby societies and organizations. For instance historical societies are always offering lectures; the horticultural society offers classes for gardeners; the photography club teaches picture taking. The list goes on. Once you begin looking for lifelong learning opportunities, you will be amazed at what can be found in your community.

On-Line Courses
The Internet is the newest way to indulge in lifelong learning. Many national organizations are already firmly entrenched in cyberspace. The AARP has an entire section on its vast web site dedicated to online courses in such topic areas as computers and technology, history and memory, health and wellbeing, personal finance and family care-giving. And then there’s the Lifelong Learning section. A quick glance shows such areas as book reviews, adventures in activism, arts, travel, and music.

The Public Broadcasting Service–www.pbs.org-has an entire section devoted to lifelong learning. The PBS Campus offers more than 120 courses through TV and the Internet for pleasure or a degree. P.O.V., the award-winning PBS series, offers unique on-line ways to interact with their programming. Community Engagement campaigns are designed to build audiences, inspire civic dialogue and when possible, foster on-going community involvement around issues raised in select programs. Check them out at www.pbs.org/pov/

Almost all colleges now offer on-line, non-credit courses through their continuing education departments. A quick Google search – something like “online non credit courses” will open the door to an incredible array of offerings.

Another excellent online resource is the Great Lecture Library. This site is comprised of lectures and sermons that have taken place at the incomparable Chautauqua Institution. Internationally renown as a center for Education, the Arts, Religion and Recreation, Chautauqua was founded on the belief that everyone “has a right to be all that he can be -- to know all that he can know.”

In accordance with that belief, they offer a comprehensive on-line library in order to allow everyone access to over 1,200 lectures and sermons. The Library encompasses 45 major categories of interest, including though not limited to Art, Business, History, Religion, Government, Health Care, the Environment, Family and Ethics. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the Library is that it has only begun to grow. New speakers and topics are being added to their immense catalogue on an ongoing basis. So be sure to visit their web site at www.greatlecturelibrary.com.

Thanks to the Internet, learning is truly global and the options are limitless. In the next chapter, you will learn how lifelong learning in other countries has taken on the Internet in a big way.
The best part of on-line learning? If you can’t get out due to weather, illness, or other obstacles, you can learn in the privacy of your own home, at your convenience.

Book Groups
Book groups are not a new phenomenon, but today they are more popular than ever. You will have plenty to choose from–in book stores, the public library, and even in private homes. They are a wonderful way to keep your brain active and alert.

If the thought of joining a book club appeals to you, ask yourself the following:

What kind of books do I really enjoy reading?
Do I want a gender-specific or mixed group?
What’s on the reading list?
How do members choose the titles?

These questions are important in order to identify the correct book group for you. Try to get a feel for how you would fit into a particular group. If the group isn’t right, you won’t enjoy yourself and you certainly won’t learn.  A good group will have members that get along and have the same reading tastes.

Many on-line book clubs also exist if you can’t find one in your area that suits your needs. Search for Reading Groups under Yahoo Clubs at clubs.yahoo.com.

Another good source is Book-Clubs-Resource.com at http://www.book-clubs-resource.com/. This site hosts a complete guide to book clubs and reading groups. Included on its many informative pages are a huge collection of links, information about using coupon codes with discount book clubs, reader information and much more. If you have questions about how to start your own reading group or even participate in one on-line, you’ll find plenty of material here to answer all your questions.

Finally, a Google Search for Book Clubs will yield millions of hits. Somewhere there’s a book group that’s perfect for you.

Don’t Miss Out on This Special Opportunity for Readers of this Column
A Reminder – If you want to test the waters of lifelong learning, I can’t think of a better way then by spending one day listening to award winning professors from Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton, Dartmouth, Columbia, The University of Pennsylvania, Cornell and other top tier schools, who come together to offer you an elite, live classroom learning experience.

Check out www.OneDayUniversity.com to learn more, and see if there’s a one-day university near you.  If so, when you register, thanks to your reading of this column, you will get a 15% discount on the cost of the program.  Just type in the word “LIFELONG” as your coupon code when you register at the website, or use it when calling 800-811-8821 to register.  It’s that simple!

Till Next Time…

Nancy Merz Nordstrom. M.Ed., is the author of "Learning Later, Living Greater: The Secret for Making the Most of Your After-50 Years". Her book, according to Ken Dychtwald, is a “compelling and user-friendly guide to lifelong learning and, in many ways, a complete redefinition of the after-50 years.” Nancy also directs the Elderhostel Institute Network (EIN), North America's largest and most respected educational network for older adults. More than 360 lifelong learning institutes with over 150,000 members are affiliated with the Network. For more information – Elderhostel Institute Network Read Nancy’s story on her Journal Visit her Forum Group LearnTalk Nancy maintains a web site at LearningLater.com