Do you enjoy reading and socializing? Discussing fiction or nonfiction? Exploring the big ideas of the day? Joining a book club might be for you!
It has been estimated that 5 million Americans belong to book discussion groups. These book lovers gather to discuss common texts every few weeks. Some say the concept goes back to the Socratic circles of 400 B.C.
Oprah’s Book Club, started in 1996, gave a great boost to the popularity of book discussion groups. Conversations with Springmoor residents reveal that many have belonged to such groups in other locations.
Springmoor has had two book clubs for some years: the MoorReaders, which consists primarily of South Village Residents, and the Book Worms, which primarily serves North Village. Once 99% of our residents were fully vaccinated, these groups were reactivated after approximately a year-long hiatus. The Resident Life Department, through the Springmoor Library, provides support for these two groups.
The North Village group adopted a new name after vaccinations made it safe to resume activities. They are now The North Village Readers, instead of the Book Worms. Co-leaders of this group are Kitty Munn and Louise Cockerham. This group meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, while the MoorReaders meet on the 2nd Monday.
Why would you want to participate in a book club? To meet and exchange ideas with new people; to be introduced to new books; to be held accountable to read regularly; to try different genres of literature and different authors; and the list could go on and on.
These groups are currently meeting once a month to select and discuss books provided by the Wake County Public Library. This agency has over 100 book club kits which it lends to established clubs. Each kit contains 15 paperback copies of the same book and a discussion guide. This limits membership in each group to 15, but leaders maintain a waiting list.
If there is adequate interest, we will explore starting a third club. Perhaps it could be a specialized club that reads only historical fiction, science fiction, or books set in the South. Hope many of you will join the 5 million Americans already in book discussion groups. It’s the “in thing” to do!
Thank you to resident and Library Committee Chair Betty Bridges for this article on the Springmoor Book Clubs that originally appeared in the June 2021 issue of The Springmoor Herald. Information about the clubs has been updated in this blog post and is current as of February 2022.
All about North Carolina Reading Service (NCRS)
Getting tired of tapping the computer keys, listening to screaming ads on television, or running out of new offerings on Netflix, and it’s only the middle of the month?
What if you could lean back in that easy chair, close your eyes, and let someone read to you? That’s what the North Carolina Reading Service (NCRS) was created to do in 1983. Formerly called the Triangle Radio Reading Service, a Raleigh businessman and an NC State professor founded the organization to serve children and adults with print disabilities (blindness, dyslexia, problems holding printed materials, etc.).
As the original name implied, the organization served the Triangle. Small radio-like receivers were loaned out to those eligible to take advantage of services.
Over the years, the service has spread its wings and increased the types of subjects covered (newspapers, magazines, recorded programs, and much more), the population served (now from east of Greensboro to the coast), and the delivery mechanisms (you can ask Alexa to stream the service). Visit their website for more information: www.ncreadingservice.org.
NCRS is also available at Springmoor via channel 1340. Thank you to our IT Director, Daniel Sekeras, for his expert technical assistance.
There are programs to appeal to everyone. Interested in gardening? There is Out in the Garden. Travel your cup of tea? Check outArmchair Traveler. An investment guru? What about The Wall Street Journal? Of a literary bent? There are Mystery Stories, Bookshelf Lite, and Classics. NCRS runs 24/7, so if you are awake at 3 am with nothing else to do, take a peek.
NCRS’ motto, “We Breathe Words Into Your Life,” remains true almost 30 years after its founding.
Thank you to resident Alex Campbell for this synopsis of the services that NCRS provides. This content originally appeared in the May issue of The Springmoor Herald.
About the Springmoor Library and the Resident-Run Library Committee
The Springmoor Library is located on the 2nd floor of the main building in North Village, next to the Business Office. Residents may visit from 10–Noon, Monday through Saturday, and from 1:30–3:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
The Springmoor Residents Association boasts 19 different committees in which residents can choose to be involved. Many thanks to Betty Bridges (Chair of the Library Committee) for all of her hard work maintaining the library for all to enjoy.
As the leader of this committee, Betty is the de facto librarian, plans book-related events, and contributes monthly to the resident-produced community newsletter, The Springmoor Herald.
Betty is a retired professional librarian who worked in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools. After being both an elementary and a middle school librarian, she became the coordinator of all libraries in the Virginia Beach school system (there were about 50 at the time). A native of Danville, Virginia, Betty attended Westhampton College at the University of Richmond and received the Master of Library Science degree from East Carolina University.
Plan Your Visit to Springmoor Today!
Folks on our waitlist are once again able to visit Springmoor for a card game, exercise/aquatics class, mindfulness class led by our chaplains, or evening event such as a concert in our auditorium. To help keep everyone safe, we ask that all visitors and all members of our community wear a mask; otherwise, most COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted on our campus.
Springmoor offers seniors a variety of residence options, ranging from apartments to larger villas and homes. If you’re looking for an active senior living community in Raleigh, call us at 919-848-7080 with your questions. You can also click here to fill out a short online form to receive a free packet of information or schedule an appointment for a personalized tour with COVID safety precautions in place. We look forward to meeting you soon!
