Concordia is hosting a special farewell event on May 23 to recognize 109 employees who are leaving the university this year after applying to the Voluntary Retirement Program (VRP).
The university made the program available to eligible full-time faculty and staff members as part of a plan to help preserve its long-term financial sustainability.
In anticipation of the occasion, we are profiling Concordians whose dedication, service and achievements are representative of this year’s many VRP participants.
Margaret Robertson: keeping things in order
Media and document delivery supervisor
Vanier Library
43 years at Concordia
Margaret Robertson likes to keep things organized, especially when it comes to books, periodicals, documents and media at the Vanier Library, where she has worked for the past 43 years.
“It’s gratifying to help students and faculty find what they need to help them further their studies and careers,” says Robertson, who’s retiring from her position as supervisor of media and document delivery.
“Keeping things in order streamlines that process and allows us to help people more efficiently.”
Robertson began shelving books at Vanier part-time, then took a full-time position at the circulation desk.
“It really keeps you young to work with the public,” she says. “You have to stay current to relate to them.”
She then worked as reserve assistant, putting books on short-term loan, before becoming the supervisor of periodicals in 1988. Soon, she was supervising media as well.
“The library evolves constantly, so our roles change with the times,” she says.
Lately, Robertson has been working on the Webster Library Transformation, helping to move and update the collection. This has involved making floor plans, directing movers, bar coding and finding duplicates in the collection.
She also oversees the new motorized compact shelving for reference and periodicals, and supervises article delivery for students and professors.
“The library is like a family,” says Robertson. “After 43 years, you know them, you know their families, you go to their children’s weddings. You see colleagues fall in love and get married. You have a life together.”
When she leaves the university at the end of May, Robertson plans to devote more time to crafting, gardening and aqua fit, and visiting siblings across North America.