The house of books that Ruth built

If you ever need to look up Costa Mesa’s Ruth Pribble, chances are

you can find her in the library at the Costa Mesa Senior Center.

Pribble, 84, has been in charge of the center’s library for the

past 11 years. She set up with the library with the help of her late

husband, L.W. Pribble. She set up similar libraries in Saudi Arabia

while her husband, an engineer, was working there. Pribble’s

motivation to work at the senior center library is simple, it gives

her something to do.

“You’d just rust out if you were just plopping down and doing

nothing,” she said.

The library’s books are all donated and the collection slowly grew

as the center received more and more books over the past 11 years.

Ruth Pribble sat down with the Daily Pilot’s Andrew Edwards to

tell the story of the senior center’s library, a bustling room full

of seniors looking for a good book, the daily paper or a friend.

She was joined by her friend at the senior center, Mary Anne Bane,

during the conversation.

What do you enjoy about working in the library?

Pribble: It’s silly to come down here and do nothing.

What was this library like when it was new?

Bane: Empty.

Pribble: Yes. And then we got these shelves in, gradually.

What kind of books do you like?

Pribble: At this point in life, I use fiction.

Any favorite topics?

Pribble: I’ll pick anything up that I can read.

What kind of books are popular here?

Pribble: Probably fiction.

Bane: We have a lot of Grisham, Nora Roberts, Danielle Steele, the

women like that. We have cowboys, we have Louis L’Amour.

Have you always been an avid reader?

Pribble: My family has always, with three children, they kept us

in reading material.

Do a lot of people ask you for recommendations?

Pribble: If they ask me, if I can tell them anything about it, I’m

glad to.

Who donates the books?

Pribble: Well, there are different agencies, clubs, other people.

Bane: People that move. Rather than toss them in the garbage, they

give them over to us.

Did your experiences in Saudi Arabia motivate you to want to make

sure there were a lot of books here?

Pribble: Yes, I think a lot of us here like to read. I have a

whole closet full [of books.]

When you and your husband were starting a library here in Costa

Mesa, how did you want it to develop?

Pribble: I think one of the libraries contributed a few things to

start with, that they were overloaded with.

Has it turned out the way you would have liked?

Pribble: I accept what’s here, and that’s it.

Why do you think it’s so important to have this library?

Pribble: Those who come here, they just can’t twiddle their

thumbs. Over the years, I think, in different areas, we have provided

them with something they can blend in with.