Springmoor’s 43-acre campus features a library containing several thousand books, as well as six reading rooms well-stocked with paperbacks. The dedicated residents who volunteer on our Library Committee coordinate all library activities. In addition to checking out books, offerings include multiple book clubs and a variety of “meet the author” events.
Though most of our collection consists of fiction, we also offer numerous memoirs and biographies. Recently, Library Committee Chair Betty Bridges spent a delightful afternoon with some very interesting people who gathered in the Springmoor library—but Betty was the only person present in the flesh. She got to know these folks through books available in our library.
The first individual was Mark T. Esper, and his name might be familiar to you. He served as U.S. Secretary of Defense for 18 months in 2019 and 2020. A man who lived by the principles of duty, honor, and country, he found these ideals tested many times during the challenging and dramatic period in which he held this position.
Esper’s book is titled A Sacred Oath: Memoirs of a Secretary of Defense during Extraordinary Times. Written with great candor, it offers enormous insight into this time in American history.
A princess was the next person Betty encountered in our library that afternoon. She was a World War II spy named Aline Griffith, Countess of Romanones, and the book is The Princess Spy by Larry Loftis. It is the story of an American woman who risked everything to serve her country. The biography was meticulously researched and reads like a James Bond thriller.
The third person is Katherine Snow Smith—her name might not be familiar, but many will have heard of her father, A.C. Snow, who was a longtime, beloved columnist for the News and Observer. The title she gives her book reveals what it is about: Rules for the Southern Rulebreaker: Missteps and Lessons Learned. In it, she addresses many situations in which the modern woman finds herself, and in each of them, the author has broken the rules! She writes with candor, humor, and insight.
The library has two new memoirs that are sure to attract a lot of interest. One is Lessons from the Edge, by Marie Yovanovitch, an engaging account of her 33 years in the U.S. Foreign Service, as well as in other high-level positions in our nation’s government.
Yovanovitch served as ambassador to Ukraine, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan and received many prestigious awards from the government. This is highly recommended reading for anyone interested in foreign affairs.
On the lighter side, our library offers All About Me: My Remarkable Life in Show Business, by Mel Brooks. If you love American comedy, you have most likely enjoyed Mel Brooks’ masterfully told stories in films or on Broadway.
This book contains never-before-told, behind-the-scenes anecdotes as only Mel can tell them. Dick Cavett says it “delivers a much-needed, therapeutic supply of full-out laughter.”
These are just a few of the memoirs and biographies we have in the Springmoor library. Residents are invited to spend some time with these and many other delightful people to be found here.
Many thanks to Betty Bridges, Springmoor resident since 2018 and Chair of the Library Committee of our Residents Association. The above content was adapted from Betty’s column titled “The Library Corner” which appeared in the August and November 2022 issues of The Springmoor Herald. Each month Betty writes “The Library Corner” for our resident-produced newsletter so that residents are kept up to date on happenings at our library.
About the Springmoor Library and the Resident-Run Library Committee
Approximately 45 residents volunteer in the Springmoor Library. A group of about 15 residents serves on the Springmoor Library Committee of the Residents Association. The Springmoor Library is located on the second 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. As the leader of the Library Committee, Betty is the de facto librarian and spearheads planning book-related events, among other responsibilities.
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!
Get to know current residents before you move in! Those on our waitlist and others interested in joining our community are invited to visit Springmoor for a book club meeting, evening concert, or our Life Writing Workshop with Dr. James Clark.
You can also take advantage of a card game, exercise/aquatics class, and a variety of aspects of spiritual life at Springmoor to help ensure you’re making the best choice for you. Our two chaplains coordinate numerous activities that include Vespers, Communion and Mass, a Monday Movie Matinee, support groups, and discussion groups. Click here to review our current events and activities highlights that are open to our waitlist.
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. Our friendly team looks forward to meeting you soon!
