Retirement: Woofs, Wisdom, and the Open Road - A Fond Farewell from Elsabé Olivier

Many people view retirement through the lens of Gene Perret, who once said, “Retirement is nice to get out of the rat race, but you have to learn to get along with less cheese.” However, I prefer the words of an unknown author who wisely said, “Retirement is not the end of the road. It is the beginning of the open highway.”

As I stand at the start of my open highway, I find myself reminiscing about my 42-year career.

I began as an English teacher at a secondary school in 1982. My love for libraries led me to accept a position as an Information Assistant at the UNISA Library from 1989 to 1992. In 1993, I became an Information Specialist at the former Onderwyskollege Pretoria on the Groenkloof campus. When the campus closed and merged with the University of Pretoria in 2000, I was fortunate to be appointed as a Junior Information Specialist at the Departmnet of Library Services (DLS), starting my journey there.

My passion for UPSpace presented a new opportunity in 2007 when I became the first Open Scholarship Manager in the Department of Library Services. At that time, open access was still a relatively new concept, and I actively advocated for the open sharing of the University of Pretoria’s research outputs, both nationally and internationally. I was privileged to travel and grow through my role as a Board member of the international organization NDLTD. The many presentations and contributions on UPSpace are a testament to my dedication to open access.

In 2013, I transitioned into the role of Assistant Director: Marketing & Quality Assurance, a position I held until my retirement at the end of October 2024.

Beyond the many opportunities for growth and development that the Department of Library Services provided me, I am deeply grateful for:

• The professional mentors who shaped me: Elsa Coertze at Onderwyskollege Pretoria and Monica Hammes at the University of Pretoria both had a profound impact on my management style throughout the last 17 years.
• Working with some remarkable team members. During my Open scholarship days, I worked alongside Thea Heckroodt, Alet Grobler, Ria Groenewald, Hendriette Jansen van Vuuren, Anna Molefe, and Arthur Molefe, and together, we published numerous electronic theses and dissertations and research articles on UPSpace. In my current portfolio, I’ve been blessed to collaborate with the incredibly bright Zenzi Ntshabele, with whom I co-published the Annual Reviews, the DLS Quality Manual, and the DLS At a Glance documents. Zenzi and I also successfully conducted multiple international client surveys to measure overall satisfaction with our products, spaces, and services. Through these surveys, we engaged with various groups, gaining valuable insights into our clients’ needs and library behaviors.
• The brilliant marketing students I've mentored: Kelly Liebenberg, Chené Da Conceição De Freitas, Jordan Stier, Wanya Visagie, Munaka Muthambi, Julia Goldschmidt, and Jason McKean brought fresh, vibrant ideas that energized our marketing and social media channels. From Instanovels and #UPisLit virtual book reviews to our highly active social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube, their contributions were invaluable. Our top-performing post this year is a reel showcasing the Oliver R. Tambo Law Library, which has reached 76,000 views. Additionally, our Bindery reel, shared on the University of Pretoria's TikTok page, garnered 96,500 views and is among the top three posts in terms of saves.
• Colleagues who embraced my quirky marketing ideas: Whether it was dressing up for South African Library Week, Casual Day, #BokFriday, or Heritage Day, promoting our profession during South African Librarians’ Day, or attending my dog therapy sessions, I’m grateful to everyone who joined in the fun!
• Due to the nature of my position, I have had numerous interactions with other departments at the University of Pretoria. I deeply valued and enjoyed these collaborations, and I would like to express my appreciation for the support received from Dinika Misthry and Andre du Plessis from Education Innovation, the guidance from Tumi Sithebe and Karen Kellerman from the Department of Institutional Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, the networking and marketing training opportunities through workshops and meetings facilitated by Isabel de Necker and Sithembinkosi Tlale from the Department of Institutional Advancement, and the invaluable guidance from Belinda Mogashwa regarding fundraising.
• The wonderful friendships I've made have carried me through both the good and challenging times. I will forever treasure the memories we've created together - you all know who you are and just how special you are to me!

I would like to be remembered as the woman who ‘let the dogs out’, referring to the dog therapy sessions I enjoyed organising with TOP Dogs. I am especially grateful that our new Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Francis Petersen, attended my last TOP Dog therapy session on Wednesday 16 October 2024 - it meant the world to me!

As I conclude this chapter, I want to share one piece of advice: find passion in your work. We spend so much time at the office, but if you love what you do, the journey is much more rewarding. This has certainly been true for me!

My wish for the Department of Library Services is continued success, always upholding the highest standards of quality. Thank you all for your love, care, and support over the years.