Chao retiring from UWSP library

Theresa Chao recently read Retire Smart, Retire Happy, and after 33 years of being a librarian at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Library, she hopes to achieve that goal.

Chao will retire in May from her job as periodicals librarian, which includes managing periodicals and subscriptions, giving reference service in both the reference room and government documents and teaching business research classes.

“It’s going to be a big change,” says Chao, “but I am going to jump in, explore and have fun.”

Born in Shanghai, Chao moved during her youth to Taiwan where she attended high school and college and met her husband, Henry. After they moved to the United States, Chao earned a master’s degree in library science at the University of Oklahoma at Norman. The couple moved to Wisconsin to take positions at Consolidated Papers Inc. in Wisconsin Rapids, where Chao was the corporate librarian.

An opening on the library faculty brought Chao to UWSP in 1971, where she was in charge of the periodicals and microfilm collections. Her job gradually included reference duties and teaching.

“My job evolved and that is what kept it interesting and enjoyable,” she said. “I will miss the academic environment and my colleagues,” said Chao. “I really enjoyed helping students and faculty find the best information.

The hardest challenges during her career were dealing with budget crunches, she said, but faculty and staff were understanding and cooperative during difficult times. Another problem occurred last year when the library’s subscription agent went bankrupt, she said, but she was able to reorder some publications and keep the collection intact after negotiating with many publishers.

“I feel I am leaving a highly usable periodical collection,” she said. “I have worked at achieving maximum cost effectiveness, which took years to attain.”

The technological changes in information processing and retrieval have not stopped since 1971, says Chao. Twice library staff members have had to automate their records, once in 1989, and again in 1999 due to Y2K concerns. Working at the library gives staff first hand knowledge about the impact of technology on information access, she said.

Another change lately has been the increased availability of electronic journals, which has improved access to information and added table of contents alert via e-mail, user-friendly search functions and reference linking, she said.

Chao and her husband plan to remain in Wisconsin Rapids, where she hopes to use her retirement to learn how to swim and to become more comfortable on a bicycle so she can explore Wisconsin bike trails. She manages the parish library for St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, and hopes to do more volunteer work. She also wants to spend more time with her family, which includes three grown children and four grandchildren.

Article and photo courtesy of UWSP News services.