IB Woman
Issue No. 38 - December/January 07/08
One for the archives
by Penelope Herbert
Elizabeth Ho breaks the librarian stereotype with a career path far from a bookish pigeonhole. Believing an honours history degree would be a strong platform from which to develop her interest in broader social and cultural issues, Elizabeth took her first serious job with the State Library of SA before moving on to higher education administration.
“I became involved in the first of a series of major amalgamations that eventually created UniSA, taking me from a reference library environment into an intense restructuring process,” Elizabeth explains. “From that experience I realised that if you can demonstrate your versatility, you can more easily choose your career direction.”
Being visible to people who could influence her career path, Elizabeth showcased her abilities to work outside a prescribed role. She was seconded to the office of the Director General of Education as a Senior Education Officer, eventually becoming the EO for the educational program of the State 150th Jubilee. While co-ordinating 1300 projects across the State, Elizabeth retained her role in the Director General’s office. Her broadening skill base led to a position as manager of the iconic Mortlock Library.
This meant going back to a library environment but Elizabeth saw it as a career move. She says managerial and leadership qualities were a prerequisite along with professional knowledge of cultural collections and responsibilities for sponsorship and bequest activity.
“It was an opportunity for me to move into million-dollar figures, people and budget management and greater community liaison,” she says.
“Within six months I had attracted the largest single corporate sponsorship, at that point, with GMHA supporting the priceless Holden archive.”
Elizabeth’s next move was to Associate Director of the State Library, working with increasingly important and complex issues and not, she stresses, simply a line responsibility to a Mi...
