Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.
It’s Te Wiki Kaumātua — Seniors’ Week (Saturday 24 September to Saturday 1 October 2022). This year’s theme is Taonga — the things we value most. We have an array of talks and activities on at our branches, to celebrate the amazing seniors living in our city and the skills, knowledge and history they offer to our community. Come join us this week to connect, chat, listen and learn together!
Tuesday 27 September
Lets Reduce Our Waste! A Sustainability Talk with Jo Langford
1-2pm.
Karori Library is hosting this sustainability talk with Jo Langford, Wellington City Council’s Waste Minimisation Officer. Learn tips and tricks to help you reduce your waste at home and in the community.
Wednesday 28 September
Getting to Know Your Phone – A Digital Skills Workshop
2-3pm.
Join us at Karori Library for this hands-on session. Learn new digital skills, or refresh your knowledge with our friendly experts.
Thursday 29 September
Digital Catch Up
10-11am.
Continue to build upon your digital skills with this workshop at Tawa Library.
Poetry Reading with Karori local poet John Davidson
5-6pm.
Enjoy a Poetry Reading with Karori local poet John Davidson, as he recites from his newly released book ‘Karori Park & Other Poems‘, charting a lifetime of journeys around the Wellington region and far beyond.
Friday 30 September
Mindfulness Workshop
2-3pm.
A mindfulness workshop in celebration of Seniors’ Week at Karori Library – we’d love to see you there!
Book launch and poetry reading with Rogelio Guedea
3:30 – 4:30pm.
Come and listen to award-winning poet Rogelio Guedea read and explore the poetry from his new Spanish / English bilingual poetry collection, O me voy o te vas | One of us must go at Johnsonville Library!
Throughout Seniors’ Week
Throughout the week there’s also our regularly scheduled programs, including ‘Librarian Unplugged’ live music, Board Games at lunchtime and Movie nights for all ages to come together and enjoy. For even more activities check out Wellington City Council’s Seniors’ Week Guide, that details more exciting events happening across the city, including afternoon tea’s, picnics, health awareness classes, guided tours, improv theatre, dances and even table tennis sessions!
For a trip down memory lane check out our digitised local history archives on Wellington City Recollect. We have helpful online guides for researching your whakapapa, discovering more about your family’s genealogy and an extensive collection of large print books to borrow.
Below we’ve compiled a reading list for you to peruse and enjoy — with some popular reads as well as some non-fiction titles that celebrate the privilege, complexities and joys of aging. Have a browse!
The 2019 memoir from the star of QI: “Between the Stops is a sort of a memoir, my sort. It’s about a bus trip really, because it’s my view from the Number 12 bus (mostly top deck, the seat at the front on the right), a double-decker that plies its way from Dulwich, in South East London where I was living, to where I sometimes work at the BBC in the heart of the capital. It’s not a sensible way to write a memoir at all, probably, but it’s the way things pop into your head as you travel, so it’s my way.” (Description from Amazon)
Embracing life on our own terms : facinating life stories of awesome individuals thriving in later life / Robertson, Angela C
“In this inspirational collection of cameo life stories, you’ll read about men and women, who range in age from their mid-50’s to 100 years. Each has responded to new opportunities ahead, despite their wildly different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.” (Catalogue)
Advanced style : older & wiser / Cohen, Ari Seth
“Advanced Style features senior street style and inspiration from all over the globe. With dozens of portraits from cities all over the world, this book also features 22 short essays by some of the portrait subjects, distilling the wisdom and lifestyle secrets of some of Cohen’s favorite Advanced Style ladies.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
A glorious freedom : older women leading extraordinary lives / Congdon, Lisa
“Author and artist Lisa Congdon explores the power of women growing older and thriving. With essays and interviews with individuals who have changed careers, found creative fulfillment, discovered new loves, demonstrated athletic prowess, and rejoiced in a true sense of self; profiles of women in history who accomplished incredible things at an older age.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Gardening with soul
“Gardening with Soul is a feature length documentary following a year in the garden with 90-year-old Sister Loyola Galvin. Sister Loyola’s optimism is infectious and it’s fed every day by her love of gardening. Themes of faith, aging and compassion sit alongside the practicalities of community life, issues within the Catholic Church and the importance of good compost in this intimate, funny and moving portrait of a woman approaching the end of her life”–Container.” (Catalogue)
A Private Spy : The Letters of John Le Carre / Le Carre, John/ Cornwell, David/ Cornwell, Tim (EDT)
“An archive of letters written by the late John le Carré, giving readers access to the intimate thoughts of one of the greatest writers of our time. The never-before-seen correspondance of John le Carré, one of the most important novelists of our generation, are collected in this beautiful volume. During his lifetime, le Carré wrote numerous letters to writers, spies, politicians, artists, actors and public figures. This collection is a treasure trove, revealing the late author’s humour, generosity, and wit–a side of him many readers have not previously seen.” (Catalogue)