Interview with Cindy-Lee Du Plessis

This is an interview between Phyllis Chueu and Cindy-Lee Du Plessis regarding her experience in the University of Pretoria Digitisation office.

Phyllis:Cindy, when did you start working in the Digitisation office?

Cindy: I started working in the digitisation office in May 2010

Phyllis: Where were you working before that?

Cindy: I worked in the Banking Industry for seven years.

Phyllis: How was the transition from what you were doing to the tasks of your job here?

Cindy: It was a big change from interacting with people and finance to just a computer screen and only interacting with colleagues.

Phyllis: What do you do on a typical day in the Digitisation office?

Cindy: I start scanning in the mornings, and while I am waiting for the scanner to scan, I normally work in Photoshop, pdf some documents and record information in my different Excel Spreadsheets about the documents that I am busy scanning. If the documents are in a different language as Dutch/German I also translate them.I double as Receptionist, answering the telephone and scheduling meetings for Mrs Groenewald. We often get guests and then we demonstrate to them what our job is about.

Phyllis: What challenges did you encounter regarding the tasks of your job?

Cindy: Learning how the different computer programs work as I have never been exposed to most of the programs in banking.

Phyllis: What skills have you acquired since?

Cindy: I have learned to work in Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, Abbyy Fine Reader, and I have learned how to scan documents.I have also learned how to record Statistics and gathering information for Metadata use.

Phyllis: Have you found any interesting records?

Cindy: Absolutely! I’ve found Maps, Postcards and telegrams dating from the early 1900’s, with interesting facts and information on them.

Phyllis: Do you enjoy your work here?

Cindy: I enjoy it immensely. It is very interesting and every day I learn something new.

Phyllis: How long are you planning to stay in the Digitisation office?

Cindy: I would like to stay as long as I possibly can, and hope that one of these days I will be around permanently.

Phyllis: What has been your best moment so far?

Cindy: Seeing the finished product of the first book that I digitised! It took me almost two weeks to finish, but when I saw what I created, I was very proud.

Thank you!     

Right: Cindy-Lee Du Plessis