Bess Thomas
Encyclopedia
Bessie Margaret Thomas was an Australia
n librarian of English
and Canadian
heritage. In 1945, the Mosman Municipal Library was established and Thomas was given the position of chief librarian, the first female in New South Wales
to have held such a position.
, where Thomas received her education and trained as a librarian and secretary. After moving to Toronto, Ontario
, Canada
, Thomas was employed as an assistant librarian by her local university between 1927 and 1928 and later moved back to Sydney after being influenced to do so by her cousin, Allworth and an unfluential report highly critical of Australian libraries by Ernest Pitt.
to develop children's interest in literature. Allworth and Thomas opened a small library using the garage at the Allworth home, with approximately 350 books at its first establishment. The library began to expand and moved locations to a building behind the Killarney School, only to move again in 1943 after a building was provided by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training
.
After establishing the library, Thomas began extra activities for local children and communities such as story-hour's, book reviews and weekly chess groups. In 1945, the children's library she established was incorporated in to a Municipal Library due to the 7,000 book stock belonging to the children's library and was given the title of the "Mosman Municipal Library" and Thomas was given the position of chief librarian, the first female in New South Wales
to have held such a position. In 1952, the library moved locations for a third time and had 18,000+ volumes at this time.
On 5 March 1968, Thomas retired as chief librarian. After her death, Thomas was cremated with Anglican rites and the children's libraries section of the Library Association of Australia established the Bess Thomas Award to encourage effort and excellence in children's librarianship.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n librarian of English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
heritage. In 1945, the Mosman Municipal Library was established and Thomas was given the position of chief librarian, the first female in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to have held such a position.
Early life
Thomas was the third child of her father, Henry Charles Thomas. Shortly after her birth, the family moved from Australia to CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where Thomas received her education and trained as a librarian and secretary. After moving to Toronto, Ontario
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Thomas was employed as an assistant librarian by her local university between 1927 and 1928 and later moved back to Sydney after being influenced to do so by her cousin, Allworth and an unfluential report highly critical of Australian libraries by Ernest Pitt.
Contributions to librarianship
During a meeting chaired by Professor E.R. Holme in September 1934, the decision was made that Thomas and Edith Allworth, both of whom were honorary librarians, would establish a children's library in MosmanMosman, New South Wales
Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman.-Localities:In February...
to develop children's interest in literature. Allworth and Thomas opened a small library using the garage at the Allworth home, with approximately 350 books at its first establishment. The library began to expand and moved locations to a building behind the Killarney School, only to move again in 1943 after a building was provided by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training
New South Wales Department of Education and Training
The New South Wales Department of Education and Communities, a department of the Government of New South Wales, is responsibile for primary schools, secondary schools and Technical and Further Education colleges...
.
After establishing the library, Thomas began extra activities for local children and communities such as story-hour's, book reviews and weekly chess groups. In 1945, the children's library she established was incorporated in to a Municipal Library due to the 7,000 book stock belonging to the children's library and was given the title of the "Mosman Municipal Library" and Thomas was given the position of chief librarian, the first female in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to have held such a position. In 1952, the library moved locations for a third time and had 18,000+ volumes at this time.
On 5 March 1968, Thomas retired as chief librarian. After her death, Thomas was cremated with Anglican rites and the children's libraries section of the Library Association of Australia established the Bess Thomas Award to encourage effort and excellence in children's librarianship.