Valerie Ann Thomas-Born October 19, 1959 in Quincy, MA to parents John and Astrid Thomas. During her youth, Valerie's family moved from Quincy to Braintree and finally settled in Hingham, MA. She graduated from Hingham High School in 1978. Valerie received B.A. degree in American Studies, Minor degree in Anthropology,and also, The B.A. Award for Distinction in American Studies from Pine Manor College (Chestnut Hill, MA) in 1982. She received her M.L.S. in Library Science with Concentration in Archival Management from Simmons Graduate School for Library & Information Science (Boston, MA) in 1987. Valerie became a Certified Librarian in Massachusetts in 1994. She was Librarian/Archivist for AccuFile, Inc. and provides professional library services for accounting, tax and corporate firms and financial institutions in the Boston Financial District. The government budget for FY 2005 due to the lack of government funding closed her position at one of her major clients as Assistant Librarian at the State Transportation Library. From 1999 until Spring 2004, for five years, Valerie maintained their extensive library and archival collections. In addition, her specialization in Photographic Archives influenced the expansion of the Library's Archives. With her extensive background in cataloguing and barcoding most of the library's collections are made available online through Online Computer Library Catalog(OCLC) and also MetroBoston Library Network (MBLN). Her professional style represented the Library's professional image among the best libraries in Boston.
In March 2005, Valerie became the new Archivist at the Hingham Historical Society. She continues in her profession of Library Science and Archives. At the local level, she is an integral part of the history of Hingham Massachusetts. As Archivist she coordinates the efforts of local historical societies, the Hingham Public Library, and the HHS Archives to provide the public with adequate and efficient access to historic information. Valerie provides description, access, and cataloguing of numerous materials documenting the wealth of information pertaining to the Historic community of Hingham, Massachusetts. In the near future, the transfer from a manual to an online system will promote their extensive 18th-19th century library and archival collections,and also, photographic and archaeological collections.
Miss Thomas has written finding aids, catalogs, and reports on numerous subjects, which include anthropology, archaeology, geneaology, library science, art, and photography. Her publications include: "Christmas Cookies" published in writing club Pegasus, co-editor (Hingham, MA) 1978; "Do You Own Old Family Photos?" article published in Packard's Progress Newsletter (Torrance, CA) 1980; and The Completion Report of the Collections Accountability Team Project for the Archives Manuscript Collections of the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site (U.S. Dept. of Interior, National Park Service), 1992.
Other written works include: Phoenixville, Connecticut (1981) which received The B.A. Award for Distinction in American Studies from President Rosemary Ashby upon graduation from Pine Manor College, Mayan Mythology (1982); The Papers of Daniel Hathorne and Family at the Archives at the John F. Kennedy Library, Preoccupation with Death in Puritan New England: Hingham, Massachusetts (1983); An Inventory of the Records of The Boston Society of Natural History of The Archives of the Museum of Science (1984); The Archival & Manuscript Collections of The Robert Bennet Forbes Collection of The China Trade Museum and The Archives of the Massachusetts Historical Society (1985) which received public recognition for outstanding contribution to the Boston community and entered in THE NATIONAL REGISTER; The Photographic Archives of the North American Ethnology Collection at The Archives of The Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Online Subject Access to Anthropological Literature which was deemed noteworthy for future publication (1986); The Dead Sea Scrolls, Quincy Syrian Bakery: Four Generations of Bakers in the Thomas Family (1987); and also, A Proposal for the Preservation of The Thomas Family Collection: The Quincy Syrian Bakery (1992).
Valerie has lectured extensively to children and adults on historic and prehistoric archaeology from 1982 to 1986 for The North River Chapter of The Massachusetts Archaeological Society. Held positions of Secretary, Historic/Prehistoric Archaeologist and Educational Liaison for The North River Chapter (Norwell, MA). Valerie has been the Family historian for The Thomas Family since 1976. Past member of the American Association of State & Local History, New England Archivists, National Geographic Society, and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology. "Research is my forte but creative writing is my passion." Valerie discovered that she was writing short stories since she was seven years old. "I took a class in creative writing back in High School. My teachers recognized my ability for writing short stories and especially poetry. I became one of four editors for a writing club called Pegasus. I never really thought about submitting any of my poetry until 1999. But my skill in writing poetry was recognized by The Famous Poets Society, and also, The International Library of Poetry."
Valerie also received recognition for her outstanding support in promoting special events. Her special letter to the U.S. Olympic Team was read before the 1998 Opening Ceremony in Nagano, Japan. She also received a thank you card from The Kennedy Family. Her letter of sympathy to The Kennedy family in memory of JFK, Jr. will be treasured forever. Valerie spent most of her time in the JFK Library at U-Mass/Boston doing extensive research. She has more of a personal connection to The Kennedy family from a totally different perspective unknown to anyone else. She saw beautiful photographs and personal papers that document their most intimate and special moments together as a family. JFK, Jr, and Valerie both share not only a common bond -- their love for history and their passion for writing but also they share the same morals and values to pursue their own dreams and future potential in life -- to educate and help people all over the world.
[to be continued...Under construction.] |
