Sarah Thomas (librarian)
Encyclopedia
Sarah E. Thomas is a university librarian. She has held the office of Bodley's Librarian
and Director of the Bodleian Libraries
at the University of Oxford
since February 2007. She is responsible for the operation of the largest university libraries
in the United Kingdom
, and one of the major research libraries
in the world.
Thomas was raised in Haydenville, Massachusetts
, United States, and studied at Smith College
. She qualified as a professional librarian at Simmons College
and received her Ph.D.
from Johns Hopkins University
for a thesis on the Austrian author Hugo von Hofmannsthal
and his relations with his publisher.
Between 1996 and 2006, Thomas held the positions of Adjunct Professor of German and Carl A. Kroch University Librarian at Cornell University
. Her previous experience in major United States
research libraries included Harvard
's Widener Library
, Johns Hopkins, the National Agricultural Library, the Library of Congress
, and the Research Libraries Group
.
She is the first woman to hold the position of Bodley's Librarian, and the second librarian (after her predecessor, Reginald Carr
) also to be in charge of the university's integrated library service (known as "Oxford University Library Services" when it was established in 2000, but renamed "Bodleian Libraries" on 2 March 2010 – Bodley's 465th birthday). Thomas, an American, is also the first foreign librarian to run the Bodleian. In an interview she gave shortly after taking up the position, she recalled visiting Oxford when she was working at the Library of Congress
to speak at the Sheldonian Theatre
. She said that she remembered thinking "I could just die then and be happy". When recruitment consultants approached her about applying for the post and she saw the job description, she said, "it was love at first sight. It was everything I wanted to do, but bigger. Integration, the digital library, the estates programme, the opportunity to be inside a truly magnificent institution and have a role at a pivotal moment in its history – that was just too enticing for me."
In 2007, Thomas was awarded the Melvil Dewey
Medal of the American Library Association
, and in 2010 was awarded the Smith College Medal.
Bodley's Librarian
The head of the Bodleian Library, the main library at the University of Oxford, is known as Bodley's Librarian: Sir Thomas Bodley, as founder, gave his name to both the institution and the position. Although there had been a university library at Oxford since about 1320, it had declined by the end...
and Director of the Bodleian Libraries
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
since February 2007. She is responsible for the operation of the largest university libraries
University Library
University Library refers to academic libraries at universities, such as:*Basel University Library*Cambridge University Library*Cornell University Library*De La Salle University Library*Durham University Library*University of the East Library...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and one of the major research libraries
Research library
A research library is a library which contains an in-depth collection of material on one or several subjects . A research library will generally include primary sources as well as secondary sources...
in the world.
Thomas was raised in Haydenville, Massachusetts
Williamsburg, Massachusetts
Williamsburg is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,482 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-The Mill River Flood:...
, United States, and studied at Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
. She qualified as a professional librarian at Simmons College
Simmons College (Massachusetts)
Simmons College, established in 1899, is a private women's undergraduate college and private co-educational graduate school in Boston, Massachusetts.-History:Simmons was founded in 1899 with a bequest by John Simmons a wealthy clothing manufacturer in Boston...
and received her Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
for a thesis on the Austrian author Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Hugo Laurenz August Hofmann von Hofmannsthal ; , was an Austrian novelist, librettist, poet, dramatist, narrator, and essayist.-Early life:...
and his relations with his publisher.
Between 1996 and 2006, Thomas held the positions of Adjunct Professor of German and Carl A. Kroch University Librarian at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. Her previous experience in major United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
research libraries included Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's Widener Library
Widener Library
The Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, commonly known as Widener Library, is the primary building of the library system of Harvard University. Located on the south side of Harvard Yard directly across from Memorial Church, Widener serves as the centerpiece of the 15.6 million-volume Harvard...
, Johns Hopkins, the National Agricultural Library, the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
, and the Research Libraries Group
Research Libraries Group
The Research Libraries Group was a U.S.-based library consortium which developed the Eureka interlibrary search engine, the RedLightGreen database of bibliographic descriptions and ArchiveGrid, a database containing descriptions of archival collections...
.
She is the first woman to hold the position of Bodley's Librarian, and the second librarian (after her predecessor, Reginald Carr
Reginald Carr (librarian)
Reginald Philip Carr is an English librarian, who was Bodley's Librarian from 1997 until his retirement in 2006...
) also to be in charge of the university's integrated library service (known as "Oxford University Library Services" when it was established in 2000, but renamed "Bodleian Libraries" on 2 March 2010 – Bodley's 465th birthday). Thomas, an American, is also the first foreign librarian to run the Bodleian. In an interview she gave shortly after taking up the position, she recalled visiting Oxford when she was working at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
to speak at the Sheldonian Theatre
Sheldonian Theatre
The Sheldonian Theatre, located in Oxford, England, was built from 1664 to 1668 after a design by Christopher Wren for the University of Oxford. The building is named after Gilbert Sheldon, chancellor of the university at the time and the project's main financial backer...
. She said that she remembered thinking "I could just die then and be happy". When recruitment consultants approached her about applying for the post and she saw the job description, she said, "it was love at first sight. It was everything I wanted to do, but bigger. Integration, the digital library, the estates programme, the opportunity to be inside a truly magnificent institution and have a role at a pivotal moment in its history – that was just too enticing for me."
In 2007, Thomas was awarded the Melvil Dewey
Melvil Dewey
Melville Louis Kossuth Dewey was an American librarian and educator, inventor of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, and a founder of the Lake Placid Club....
Medal of the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
, and in 2010 was awarded the Smith College Medal.
External links
- Garner, R. 'A double-first at the Bodleian library as US woman takes over', The Independent, February 21, 2007.
- Cornell's University Librarians: Sarah Thomas