When Syd Mellinger first arrived at Vi at Bentley Village in 2014, she thought her days as a librarian were behind her. But as someone who spent 40 years surrounded by books—including a role as a public library director—she couldn’t resist when a friend told her that the community library needed help getting organized and moving into a new, larger space in the East Clubhouse building.
“Helping in the library is something I've loved doing all my life,” said Syd. “I can’t imagine never having a book to read.”
A storied history
The library at Vi at Bentley Village began as a modest but friendly operation almost 40 years ago: Residents left books outside their homes, inviting neighbors to pick them up, read them and pass them along to someone new.
Today, under Syd’s leadership and with the support of a devoted team of resident volunteers, the library is home to more than 3,500 books carefully curated to reflect resident interests.
In recent years, they've also fully digitized the library's system, enabling residents to search for and reserve books and DVDs online.
Resident and library volunteer Ilze Arsts thinks having access to a range of books is important for everyone, but especially older adults.
"Reading keeps everybody's mind active with the opportunity to explore different writers with different styles and ideas and topics,” said Ilze. “It keeps you thinking, opens you up to other perspectives and helps you keep learning.”
Aside from being operated like a true public library—Dewey Decimal System and all—what sets Vi at Bentley Village’s library apart is the dedicated group of nearly 35 resident volunteers who keep it active and thriving.
For Ilze, who joined the group shortly after moving to Vi at Bentley Village, the library provided an immediate sense of community.
“Libraries have always been important to me," she said. “Here, there’s something for everyone to do, regardless of your experience.”
Whether it’s staffing the circulation desk, repairing books, managing software, writing reviews for the community newsletter or decorating for holidays, each volunteer contributes their own special talents.
“When I think about a volunteer group, the strongest that we have on campus would probably be our library group,” said Al Spencer, Lifestyle Director at Vi at Bentley Village.
Though the community staff is available to support Syd and her team with whatever they may need, the library's day-to-day operation is self-sustaining.
“When you put the right people in the right place, good things happen," said Al. “Syd loves what she does, so that gives her purpose every single day to make sure that she, too, is thriving. It becomes nothing but a win for the community.”
Residents, volunteers and staff members agree that the space has become much more than a place to borrow books—it’s a social hub that fosters lasting relationships between volunteers and library patrons alike.
“We make it clear that this is not a silent library,” said Syd. “It’s a place where people can gather, laugh and suggest fantastic books to each other."
Ilze, who didn’t know anyone at Vi at Bentley Village, or even in South Florida, before she moved in, now sees familiar faces all around the community—from golf outings to restaurants. "It’s been a huge bonus in helping me meet people and feel at home,” she said.
While all the volunteers like to get together outside of the library for dinners and meetups, Syd and Ilze have formed a special friendship by working together, with Ilze becoming Syd’s right-hand person and director-in-training.
“I’m learning from Syd,” said Ilze. “She’s been my mentor ever since I got involved.”
“We work well together,” added Syd. “We’re basically a generation apart in age and have different approaches to things. She’s helped me better understand the interests of the younger generation moving in now.”
Over the last year, Syd and Ilze have worked together to archive the community’s 40-year history, collecting and documenting historical photographs, architectural blueprints and interviews with past and current staff members and residents. Soon, a digitized version of the project will be available for all to see and share online.
“Everyone helped contribute,” said Syd. “It's really been a community project.”
According to Syd and Ilze, this long-term passion project isn’t just a testament to the library’s hard work but also a reflection of the lasting impact and spirit of the greater Vi at Bentley Village community.
Added Ilze: “There's a feeling of home here. That this is the place that you were meant to be.”
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