Jennifer
A. Thomas
6520 25 ½ Mile Road
Homer, MI 49245
(517) 879-6574
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Stockwell-Mudd Library, Albion College, Albion, MI
Marilyn Crandell Schleg Archivist & Special Collections Librarian
2000-present
Collect, organize, provide access to, and preserve archival materials of the college and West Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church. Create and maintain college records management program. Maintain and preserve rare books and manuscripts. Write grant proposals for digitization projects. Provide reference assistance and bibliographic instruction for the college archives and library. Operate the library’s mending and disaster recovery programs. Serve as library liaison to several academic departments, including Art & Art History, Communication Studies, Mathematics & Computer Science, Music, Physics & Astronomy, Theatre, Women’s & Gender Studies. Promote the collections and educate the community about archives and special collections through an annual lecture, exhibits, and the Website. Interview, hire, train, and supervise student and part-time staff of 6-12 individuals.
Information & Library Services, University of Maryland University College (UMUC), Adelphi, MD
Library Technician III/Archival Assistant
1999-2000
Processed, tracked, digitized, and loaded electronic reserves. Requested and tracked copyright permissions. Traced statistics for proprietary database usage. Provided phone and E-mail reference assistance and technical support for the library and archives. Created policies, databases, and inventories for the university archives. Trained and supervised 2 graduate students.
Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Student Assistant III
1999
Processed manuscript collections of the American Bandmasters Association and the Music Library Association. Answered reference requests. Inventoried new accessions. Catalogued oral histories into OCLC, funded by a grant from the Music Library Association.
Conservation Lab, Preservation Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Student Assistant II
1999
Created pamphlet bindings for music and archival materials. Cleaned book bindings. Rounded book spines. Made preservation photocopies of brittle material.
National Public Broadcasting Archives, College Park, MD
Practicum
1999
Created a database for all episodes of the “Derek McGinty Show,” 1991-1998.
Student Assistant III
1998-1999
Processed records of individual members of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Circulation Desk, Performing Arts Library, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Student Assistant III
1999
Checked in and out library materials. Handled reserves. Provided front-line reference assistance.
Various other full and part-time work experiences, including :
Contract Singer for Albion Pro Choral, Albion College, Albion, MI (2004-present)
Assistant Manager at Music & Arts Center, Cockeyville/Timonium, MD (1997-1999)
Sales Associate/Manager Trainee at Music & Arts Center, Ellicott City, MD (1996-1997)
Assistant Manager at Follett College Bookstores, Baltimore International Culinary College, Baltimore, MD (1995-1996)
Contract Singer for Trinity Church, St. Mary’s City, MD (1994-1995)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Graduate School of Management & Technology, UMUC, Adelphi, MD
Adjunct Assistant Professor
2005-2007
Course: Introduction to Graduate Library Research Skills
Provided an overview of library and information resources critical to 21st century managers. Discipline-specific research was conducted in order to gain experience in formulating viable research questions, selecting appropriate methods and resources for research, evaluating the scholarly value of sources, and effectively citing sources.
School of Undergraduate Studies, UMUC, Adelphi, MD
Adjunct Assistant Professor
2001-2007
Courses: Information and Research Methods, Introduction to Library Research
Promoted from Adjunct Professor to Adjunct Assistant Professor in 2003. Introduced students to proper research processes and methods for retrieving information in a library, thesis development, and information literacy skills, including selecting appropriate print and electronic sources, effectively using those sources to find relevant information, and evaluating, organizing, and correctly citing information.
Teaching Assistant
2001
Course: Introduction to Library Research
Spring Ridge Middle School, Lexington Park, MD
Practicum
1994
Assisted students with learning disabilities in General Music. Auditioned students for advanced choir.
EDUCATION
Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI
2007-2009
Master of Arts in Humanities, with a focus in Identity and Community: Humanities in a Global Culture
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
1998-2000
Masters in Library Science with a Specialty in Archives, Records and Information Management
Towson University, Towson, MD
1995-1996
Graduate Study in Music Education
St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, MD
1991-1995
Bachelor of Arts in Music
HONORS AND AWARDS
Albion College
2008
Faculty Development Grant ($670) to attend Michigan Archival Association annual conference
2007
Faculty Development Grant ($860) to attend Society of American Archivists EAD workshop
Faculty Travel Award ($320) to attend Michigan Archival Association annual conference
2006
Faculty Development Grant ($860) to attend scrapbook preservation workshop at Midwest Archives Conference spring meeting
Faculty Travel Award ($600) to present at Michigan Archival Association annual conference
2003
Faculty Development Grant ($1030) to attend annual Preservation and Access for Digital College and University Resources (ECURE) conference and interview donor Marvin Vann, ‘40
University of Maryland University College
2004
Nominee for the Stanley J. Drazek Teaching Excellence Award
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
1995
Mattie M. Key Award for Excellence in Music
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Editorial Responsibilities
Publications Review Editor
2008
Archival Issues: Journal of the Midwest Archives Conference, 30, no. 2 (2006).
Archival Issues: Journal of the Midwest Archives Conference, 30, no. 1 (2006): 69-83.
2007
Archival Issues: Journal of the Midwest Archives Conference, 29, no. 2 (2005).
Archival Issues: Journal of the Midwest Archives Conference, 29, no. 1 (2005): 77-88.
Manuscript Referee
2007
McFarland, Colleen. “Documenting Teaching and Learning: Practices, Attitudes, and Opportunities in College and University Archives.” Archival Issues: Journal of the Midwest Archives Conference, 29, no. 1 (2005): 19-44.
2006
Hackbart-Dean, Pam and Sammie L. Morris. “Case Studies in Managing Collections that Grow.” Archival Issues: Journal of the Midwest Archives Conference, 28, no. 2 (2003-2004): 105-120.
Herrada, Julie. “Letters to the Unabomber: A Case Study and Some Reflections.” Archival Issues: Journal of the Midwest Archives Conference, 28, no. 1 (2003-2004): 35-46.
Articles
2008 (upcoming)
"Looking Forward to MAA 2009." Open Entry: Newsletter of the Michigan Archival Association, 37 (2008, Fall).
"The Legend Lives on from the Mackinaw Bridge on Down! A Review of MAA’s 2008 Annual Meeting and Fiftieth Anniversary, June 11-13, 2008." Open Entry, 37 (2008, Fall).
2006
“Lone Arranger.” Open Entry, 34 (2006, Spring).
2005
“Lone Arranger.” Open Entry, 33 (2005, Fall).
“Tips on Preserving Your Own Family History.” Io Triumphe, LXX (2005, Fall): 23.
“Grand Rapids: MAA’s 47th Annual Meeting.” Open Entry, 33 (2005, Spring): 12-13.
“Lone Arranger.” Open Entry, 33 (2005, Spring): 20.
“Scrapbooks: Information or Artifact?” Midwest Archives Conference Newsletter (2005, January).
“Landmarks and Legends: The Stone Pile.” Io Triumphe, LXIX (2004-05, Spring): 4.
2004
“Landmarks and Legends: The College Bell.” Io Triumphe, LXIX (2004-05, Winter): 36.
“Preservation Through Alternate Forms of Access. The Foundation of a Digitization Project.” Midwest Archives Conference Newsletter (2004, January).
2002
“Getting Students Involved.” RAO News: Society of American Archivists’ Reference, Access and Outreach Section Newsletter (2002, March).
Internal Publications
2003-present
West Michigan Legacies: Newsletter of the United Methodist Church West Michigan Conference Archives.
2001-2006
Legacies: Newsletter of Albion College Special Collections
Invited Presentations
2006
Collection Controversy: “Abion College’s Currier & Ives’ Darktown Comics Collection: History in Context” – Michigan Archival Association, Frankenmuth, MI
2005
“Buried Treasures in the Library” – Albion Association of Lifelong Learning, Albion, MI
2002
“Managing the Records of Active Organizations” – Midwest Archives Conference, Rapid City, SD
2001
“A Century of Images: The Identification and Preservation of Photographs” – Albion Historical Society, Albion, MI
“Photograph Preservation” – Odd Topics Society, Beta Chapter, Albion College, Albion, MI
“The History of Science: Examples from the Rare Books Collection” – Silent Auction Pre-Lecture, Stockwell-Mudd Library, Albion, MI
Workshops
West Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church
2007
“First, Do No Harm: Preservation for the Local Church” – Grand Rapids, MI
2005
“Local Church Records: Deciding What to Keep and Protecting What is Kept” – Annual Conference, Grand Rapids, MI
2004
“Church Records: Keep Them or Shred Them?” – Annual Conference, Grand Rapids, MI
2003
“Local Church Historian Records Workshop” – Cadillac and Lansing, MI
Curated Exhibits
Albion College Archives
“Behind the Scenes at a Presidential Inauguration” accompanied the inauguration of Albion College’s 15th president, Donna M. Randall
2007
“70 Years of Friendship: Philip C. Curtis, ’30, and Russell B. Babcock, ‘27” accompanied Bobbitt Visual Arts Center exhibition, “Philip C. Curtis, ’30: Sound and Silence”
“A Dry Story: Samuel Dickie – President, Professor, Prohibitionist”
2006
“Currier & Ives Darktown Lithographs” <http://www.albion.edu/library/specialcollections/exhibits/currier&ives.asp>
“The History of Albion College Women in Athletics” with Amanda Keep, ’07; Stephanie Mann, ’06; and Anne Polmanter, ‘06
“The Stolen Child: From Myth to Lecture” for Marilyn Crandell Schleg Memorial Lecture
2005
“Madelon Stockwell Turner Memorial Room” <http://www.albion.edu/library/specialcollections/exhibits/stockwellroom.asp>
2004
“Albion College Libraries & Librarians, A History” Permanent poster display
“An Island of Lost Maps, Rare Books & Archival Materials” for Marilyn Crandell Schleg Memorial Lecture
2003
“World War I Honor Roll” <http://www.albion.edu/library/specialcollections/exhibits/WWI_Memorial.asp>
“Albion College Libraries & Librarians, A History” for National Archives Week
“J Harlen Bretz, ’04: The Radical Work that Changed Geological Theory” for Marilyn Crandell Schleg Memorial Lecture
“Women’s Words: The Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher Collection” for Anna Howard Shaw Month
2002
“Albion College: The Legacy of Female Alumni” for Anna Howard Shaw Month
“A Historic Tour of Campus” for National Archives Week
“Teaching Histories of Race and Gender: Recent Acquisitions” with Drs. Sarah Jordan and Ian MacInnes, English Department, Albion College
2001
“The Marvin J. Vann Collection” <http://www.albion.edu/library/specialcollections/exhibits/Vann/VannTitle.asp> Permanent
“Generations of Artists at Albion College: Mills, Courter, Hunt & Newell” for National Archives Week
2000
“Virtual Historic Tour of Campus” <http://www.albion.edu/library/specialcollections/exhibits/HistoricalTour/> Revised 2007
“Archives at Work/Albion College Traditions” for National Archives Week
Albion College Rare Books and Manuscripts
2008
“Images of Spring: An Homage to Birds, Butterflies, Flowers and All Things Green”
2007
“Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1882: Celebrating the Bicentennial” for National Poetry Month
2005
“Celebrating the Sesquicentennial of the First Edition of Leaves of Grass” for National Poetry Month
2003
“The Marie Guy Kimball Poetry Collection” for National Poetry Month
“Michigan United Methodist Poetry & Hymns” for National Poetry Month
“The Famous ‘She’ Bible: The King James, 1st edition, 2nd printing” for Save-A-Book program
“Bookplates from the Albion College Rare Books Collection”
“Karl Baedeker’s Travel Books”
2002
“Tiny Tomes: An Exhibit of Miniature Books from the College Collection”
2001
“Juvenile Fiction of the 20th Century: Alger & the Stratemeyer Syndicate”
“The Stockwell Memorial Library Dedication, 1938” for National Archives Week
“The G. Lynn Sumner Lincolnia Collection”
“Nineteenth Century American Bookbindings”
“Poetry of the Universe” with Dr. Bob Messer, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Albion College
West Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church
2006
“Full Clergy Rights for Women, A Timeline” for Annual Conference
2002
“Albion’s China Connection: J.D. Collins & Methodist Missions in China” <http://www.albion.edu/library/specialcollections/exhibits/collins_exhibit1.asp>
2001
“Albion’s China Connection: J.D. Collins & Methodist Missions in China” with Dr. Yi Li Wu, History Department, and David DiVincenzo, ’05, for International Week
2000
“Millbrook United Methodist Church, 1883-1993”
Programming
Marilyn Crandell Schleg Memorial Lecture
2007
“’Into the Fire’: September 11, Popular Music, and Public Memory” – Dr. Richard Aquila, Director, Behrend College, Pennsylvania State University
2006
“The Stolen Child” – Keith Donohue, Author and Communications Director/Editor, National Historical Publications and Records Commission
2005
“Searching for Senator Vandenberg” – Hank Meijer, Co-CEO, Meijer, Inc.
2004
“The Island of Lost Maps: A True Story of Cartographic Crime” – Miles Harvey, Author
2003
“The Outrageous Hypothesis of Dr. J Harlen Bretz: A Perspective on the Life of a Renowned Geologist & Teacher” – Dr. Lawrence J. Taylor, Professor Emeritus, Geology Department, Albion College
2002
“Confessions of a Stack Rat: Archives I Have Known & Loved” – Dr. James Wyatt Cook, Professor Emeritus, English Department, Albion College