Ann Mullin was no stranger to organization. When she came to Lenoir Memorial Home in Columbia, Missouri, in 1960 she brought with her more than 30 years’ experience as a missionary in India. One of her accomplishments from those years was the establishment of a library she organized from the ground up to include books and publications in English, Hindi, and other local languages.
So, when she settled into Lenoir and found the disarray of books, magazines, and newspapers, Ann knew just what to do. She started by gathering residents who agreed the haphazard pilings of books needed to be organized and made available to all residents. After receiving approval, she and several other women began the cataloguing of books and eventual establishment library. But the more than 1,000 books needed a space, bookshelves, and circulation cards to make this collection a functioning library.
To make this dream a reality, members of the Lenoir Woods community came together. The family of former Lenoir resident Dr. I.N. McCash, who had donated his extensive book collection to Lenoir, heard of this undertaking and donated memorial funds to establish the library. Another Lenoir resident Maggie Lorenz undertook the official inventorying of books.
Over the years the library at Lenoir Woods, as the community is known today as part of Lutheran Senior Services, has been supported through gifts from residents, donations from local churches, and fundraisers organized by residents. When the community center was renovated in 2011, this gave the opportunity to update the library as well. Thanks to the foresight and sharing of gifts from former Lenoir residents, the Lenoir Library is a gathering place for this community created and supported by the residents where they can enjoy the pleasure of reading and continue to build their knowledge.