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of historical interest over the past 63 years). For the last 30 years, GRF has operated the library with a mission to meet the unique needs of this community.

The GRF Board who made this bold decision might not have foreseen that this was the Louisiana Purchase of its day. Today, the Leisure World Library has an extensive collection of over 41,000 items available free to all GRF members. Books, music, movies, audiobooks, newspapers and periodicals are selected to meet the varied needs of the entire Leisure World community, not a small task. Want to see a newly released film, a favorite TV series, an award willing foreign film, check out a game, or borrow a jigsaw puzzle? The LW Library has all of this. For some years, I subscribed to a magazine called Bookmarks, which featured the best current fiction and nonfiction. Guess what? Nearly every book I selected was already on the shelves. The library also carries an extensive collection of large print books for residents who are visually impaired.

But it’s more than a place to check out stuff to borrow. It’s a place to flourish. For over seven years, the library has coordinated a partnership with North Orange County Continuing Education (NOCE), offering free classes on site. NOCE classes help people get out, meet new people, and learn new things. I found the registration process rather daunting, but the library staff came to my help. The library also offers “AuthorSpeak!”, a series that gives us the chance to hear actual authors speak about their work. A bank of computers and printing and scanning capability is available to GRF members, with ready assistance for questions.

At our age, we don’t need homework help anymore, but we do need help with all the technological “advances” that can drive us nuts. For those who don’t have young people around, the library is an oasis for help. I have friends who had help setting up an email account, or recover accounts they have been locked out of. I even have a neighbor who got help learning how to pay her bills online.

Many of our residents live without family or friends nearby and some of them are financially stressed. Being able to access resource help at the library is a great advantage for them and reflects the supportive nature of our community.

My biggest question is: where do they find their staff? The job description must emphasize a cheerful attitude, availability (they always jump up when they see a customer), technological skills, and above all, patience. “Welcome,” and “how can I help” are the default staff greetings. It’s one of the friendliest places in Leisure World, open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m, and Saturday 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.