Jill finishes chapter of her life after 50 years

Otago Daily Times

15-06-2025

By Dellwyn Moylan
Ashburton library manager Jill Watson is preparing to wave a fond farewell after half a century of service.
Being a librarian wasn't her first choice of career, the 71-year-old recalls, but now she could write a book on the experience.
Growing up in Christchurch, she wanted to work with animals, as a stable hand or kennel maid.
A career adviser at her school told her she needed to be ''fixed'' from that thinking.
While still at school, she started working at the Canterbury Public Library shelving books. A job came up at the library and the rest is history.
She went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts through Canterbury University, and more recently a Bachelor of Business Studies through Massey University.
''I worked at Canterbury library for nearly three years. It was a very interesting old building to work in,'' she said.
It was a boyfriend that brought her to Ashburton in 1975, when she began at the town's library.
Recording keeping in the early days of the borough and county council were not as thorough as today, however, it is thought Jill is probably the district council's longest ever serving employee.
Jill's love of animals saw her beloved dog Riff Raff become a firm favourite with library goers, especially children.
Riff Raff, now retired, has helped countless children practice their reading, building confidence through his tireless listening skills.
Jill has a passion for colour and flare, be that dressing up as a clown, fairy, in period costume, or even her pyjamas. At her home she converted a bedroom to create space for a vast shoe collection.
Jill started out a children's librarian and was in the role for about two years.
When the role of manager of the library came up, Jill applied.
''It was a rather formidable interview, as not only were the managers there, but also the entire council,'' she said.
She had enjoyed working with the public and a ''great team'' of staff, as well as a ''supportive employer''.
And being surrounded by thousands of books has brought her immense satisfaction.
''Buying and maintaining a quality collection of books is very rewarding,'' she said.
While Jill has freedom of choice of what books to buy, she is guided by a budget and what readers want.
With regard to fiction, she has a standing order to ensure she doesn't miss books, especially the popular ones.
When it comes to non-fiction, she is more open in what she purchases, ensuring there is a good range of relevant books on a diverse range of subjects.
While she has her favourites, she is careful not to let personal preferences dominate.
For fiction, she particularly likes murder thrillers and Victorian novels. Her favourite authors are Americans Michael Connelly, and C J Box who is also popular with her fellow Ashburton readers.
For non-fiction, she particularly likes history books, especially New Zealand history and world politics.
Along the way there have moments that have made Jill laugh. One that has been recalled as part of the celebrations of 50 years is about a councillor who was questioning the budget for buying books.
The councillor questioned the nonfiction spend, asking why they needed to purchase Noddy books when Noddy never changed.
Always the professional, Jill took a deep breath and said she was sorry to have to be the one to inform the councillor that Noddy was from a fiction book.
There have been numerous changes of Jill's five decades at the library. One of the biggest, apart from moving to Te Whare Whakatere last year, has been advancements in technology.
Jill's time at the library hasn't been without some challenges. She has always been an advocate for removing barriers to people accessing books and the library.
Jill will retire on August 8. She plans to remain in Ashburton, enjoying time in her garden and reading.