I am a fast, experienced, serious writer and a native English speaker. Sample: an article about our town librarian retiring for our local country newspaper.
Martinborough librarian retires
"In the age of computers, the book-filled library has a vibrant future," is the confident assertion of retiring Martinborough librarian, Anne Dodd.
Mrs Dodd leaves the library on December 8 after first arriving there in 1986.
Born in Glasgow, Mrs Dodd gained a degree in modern languages (French and German) as well as a Diploma in Librarianship.
Her first job involved shifting centuries-old books from the old part of Edinburgh University into new purpose-built quarters. "I was heavily involved with a large team of librarians and a very big academic community, in contrast to the very much smaller library community of the Wairarapa," she says.
In 1981, her English astrophysicist husband, Richard, was offered a job at the Carter Observatory in Wellington, so the couple, with their son and daughter, upped stakes and moved to New Zealand.
Before long they were exploring New Zealand and increasingly found themselves spending time in the Wairarapa. "This is a lovely country," she says. "We've never regretted moving here."
Initially, she endured what she describes as 'the ghastly commute' to work in Wellington but when the Martinborough library opportunity arose, she grasped it with both hands.
The highlights of her work here have been the expansion of the library facilities, the computerisation of the library service and the coming together of the four southern libraries into an integrated service. "But the reading of actual books is alive and well.
"There is a growing younger population in Martinborough and their demand for library services from a very young age is a feature of the work today. With the library as a central point of the community, it's been a real privilege to share everyone's lives, their tragedies and their highpoints."
Outside her library work, Mrs Dodd remembers with particular pleasure the assistance given her and her husband by local winemakers in the early 90's when they began growing pinot noir grapes on their ten-acre property on the Martinborough wine terrace.
"It was the early days of the wine industry and everyone here was very sociable and shared their knowledge of wine without stint."
Post-retirement, Mrs Dodd has no specific plans - though there is a garden to give a fright to, relatives in the UK to visit and just time to spend on private projects without having to adhere to someone else's timetable.
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