Interview with Isabella Phoebe Catriona Godbert

Isabella Phoebe Catriona Godbert (nee Lumgair) gives details of her family background in England and Scotland. Notes the Scottish origin of her names. Describes her childhood and education at 13 different schools because of her father's Air Force job. Mentions the lack of expectation that she would have a tertiary education. Gives details of learning to read at an early age and her reading tastes. Describes her job at the Kerikeri Public Library processing fiction. Notes the categories of books in the library, the nature of the users, membership numbers, subscription system and the impact of volunteers on the costs.

Describes her employment history as an au pair, as an officer cadet with the Royal Air Force, as a Kindergarten relief teacher and in the Post Office in New Zealand. Mentions marriage to Derrington Godbert who was in the Air Force and then a teacher. Talks about returning to England for four years and living in Beachlands and then Kerikeri when they returned to New Zealand.

Talks about Kerikeri before the kiwifruit boom noting that it had been a poor area and cut off because of bad roads. Discusses changes because of the boom including immigration. Describes the role of the Settlers' Association in the development of the area and in the history of the library. Details the history of library services in the area.

Recalls the establishment of the Kerikeri Public Library, the library committee, the architecture of the new building, the problems getting it built, fundraising activities and organising the loan. Describes her work at the library, the volunteer system, ordering books, the system of Council Rates payment and how the paid and unpaid staff work together. Notes that Kerikeri Library is not a free service but that it is possible to subsidise users. Mentions that there are few Maori members of the library. Details the use of the library for blood testing, traffic tests, ambulance centre and meeting rooms. Describes how the library collections and users have changed over the years and notes the importance of the Country Library Service book supply in the early years. Mentions volunteer Bonny Cron. Talks about the library's relationship with the local school, Country Library Service and the National Library and discusses the general development of regional libraries during the 1970s and the impact of the end of the book van service.

Describes the day of the book van visit including the role of the book van drivers. Notes that the role of summer holiday student scheme workers and PEP (Project Employment Programme) workers in running the library.

Comments on her work as a laboratory assistant and resource librarian at the school.

Venue - Kerikeri

Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe

Venue - Mrs Godbert's home at Kerikeri

Accompanying material - Printed abstract contains photocopies of minutes from meetings of the Kerikeri Settlers Assocation which mention the library service, dated 1944, 1947, 1960 and 1961.

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-002060, OHC-002061

Tape numbers - OHA CLS 2738, 2739, 2740, 2741

Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2 Hours Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 312.

Printed abstract contains portrait photograph of Isabella Godbert dated 1965 and a photograph of Isabella Godbert with her husband Derry and children Catriona and Timothy dated 1988.

Search dates: 1938 - 1989

Alternative form available: An online copy of the abstract is also available to read in the Library's Reading Room