EDGEWATER — When the snow is falling and chilly winds blow, there’s nothing like curling up with a good book to stir your inner warmth.
From the time we opened our very first books, many of us began a love of reading that transported us to wondrous worlds of knowledge, entertainment, and adventure.
Now, thanks to the retirement lifestyle, older adults can spend more time enjoying a good read, and in the process, ensure their minds are remaining alert and informed.
While digital books are gaining in popularity, it’s still uniquely satisfying to pick up a hardbound or paperback book and enjoy the tactile pleasures of its meticulously crafted bindings, its weight and crisp pages, unique typography and eye-catching illustrations.
Don’t have a book handy? No problem — just visit Creekside Lodge, where Edgewater’s own convenient lending library offers more than 800 choices, comfort¬able chairs and couches, and a pleasant atmosphere to sit and read.
It’s free to residents, there are no time restrictions on how long a reader can keep any book checked out, and the selections range from fiction to non-fiction, biographies and even large-print editions.
Library attendants (Left to Right) Jo Muchmore, Sharon Roller, and Beth Pasek are, themselves,avid readers. (Glynn Wade /Sun Day Photo)
The three Edgewater residents who serve as librarians keep Edgewater’s library functioning smoothly. Jo Muchmore, a retired elementary school teacher, Beth Pasek, who formerly worked in the library of Thompson Middle School in St. Charles, and Sharon Roller, who simply loves to read, take care of the newly donated books, replace checked-out books to the shelves when they are re¬turned, and track the usage of the inventory.
“I just love doing it,” Sharon Roller said of her work in the library.
Not surprisingly, these la¬dies are avid readers themselves and members of Edgewater’s Chapter One Book Club. All three express their enjoyment in taking care of the library, as well as their appreciation for its originators, specifically, Barbara and Roger Lippman.
Along with other interested Edgewater readers, the Lippmans wanted to make quality books donated by residents available to each other and the community at large.
Convenience of borrowing books was also a factor, since at the time, the Rakow Branch Library on Bowes Road had not been built.
The question was where to base a lending library at Edgewater, and Creekside Lodge provided the answer.
When the lodge first opened, however, the space that holds today’s array of books had not been planned for use as a library. Though the room already featured built-in wall shelves, they were intended for decorative display.
The Lippmans brought the library idea to the Lifestyle Committee, and eventually the library as it is today was established. Now, with community expansion adding more borrowers and donated books, library users are hopeful that additional shelves will be added in the room so more titles can be offered.
Beth Pasek says that the library’s books are in very good condition and feature a variety of popular authors. Recently, a card system has been established so that library attendants can tell which books are being checked out most often. Books remaining on the shelves with little or no activity are replaced by incoming volumes so that the selection stays fresh and timely.
When duplicate books end up in the Edgewater library, they are held for donation, along with books that are infrequently checked out. Such editions may find their way to the annual Gail Borden Library used-book sale or other charitable destinations.
The Edgewater library enjoys use throughout the year — in winter when people spend more time inside, in summer as residents seek good poolside reading, and anytime folks are headed out on trips and want to take books along. For those to whom reading is akin to eating, it’s used frequently.
“We all need to keep our minds active, and reading is a good way to do that,” Pasek said.
Muchmore sees working at the library as a satisfying way to give back to her community. All things considered, it’s clear to see the enjoyment of books that has captivated readers throughout the ages is alive and well at Edgewater.
