Now a resident of Redroofs Lifecare rest-home, Mrs van de Klundert (87) was visited recently by a delegation of her former Friends of the Library colleagues and Dunedin City Council library services manager Bernie Hawke.
During a celebration morning tea, the visitors presented Mrs van de Klundert with a framed "plaque" describing her many years of service to books, libraries and history.
Friends of the Library president David Crooks paid tribute to her energy and efforts in support of library staff, as well as her advocacy for a South Dunedin library alongside the late Anne Turvey.
"We are very pleased to make this presentation to acknowledge all her years of hard work," Mr Crooks said.
A library assistant at Dunedin Public Libraries from 1962-65, Mrs van de Klundert became archivist at Holy Cross College in Mosgiel.
As president of the Friends of the Library (the Dunedin Public Libraries Association) for several terms, Mrs van de Klundert was pivotal in the organisation’s success.
She was also the author of Turn Back the Pages, a 1890-2005 history of the Dunedin Public Libraries Association, published in 2006.
In 2005, Mrs van de Klundert was the recipient of a library citation in recognition of her contribution to the association and to historical research in New Zealand.
Mrs van de Klundert was thrilled with the presentation, saying she felt "very fortunate and overwhelmed that [the Friends of the Library] should do this for me".
"I started going to the library when I was a little girl of 4, and reading became a great passion of my life," she said.
She said it was very nice that former Dunedin city librarian, Auckland city librarian and national librarian Mary Ronnie was also a resident at Redroofs, as it gave the old friends plenty of opportunities to share their love of books.
- brenda.harwood@thestar.co.nz
