Dr Sarah Thomas

Dr Sarah Thomas held the positions of Vice President for the Harvard Library and University Librarian of Harvard University from 2013 to 2019. From 2007 to 2013 she was Director of the Bodleian Libraries and the first woman and non-British citizen to hold the position of Bodley's Librarian in the Bodleian's 400- year history.

Her achievements at the University of Oxford's Bodleian Library include: the construction of a new book storage and the transfer of some nine million books, journals, maps, and other archival materials; an £80 million visionary transformation of the New Bodleian into the Weston Library, which opened in 2014; extensive digitisation of collections; and many other significant improvements in library provision for users inside and outside the University.

During her tenure at Harvard University, Dr Thomas leveraged partnerships with major research libraries to expand expedited collection-sharing of 90 million books, reducing the campus footprint and liberating space for other university priorities. She revolutionised collecting and collections storage at Harvard by partnering with three major research libraries (Columbia, New York Public Library, and Princeton) to move beyond shared storage to shared print collections. She developed diverse teams known for creativity, innovation, and positive results and led the successful transition of the newly formed Harvard Library from a segmented organisation into a healthy collaborative with shared strategies and common policies.

She was University Librarian at Cornell University from 1996 until 2007 and has held positions at the Johns Hopkins University, the Research Libraries Group (Stanford, CA), the National Agricultural Library, and the

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Library of Congress. Dr Thomas is a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the American Philosophical Society.

She says, 'The Natural History Museum is an extraordinary institution with vast collections, deeply knowledgeable researchers and dedicated staff who foster the thrill of discovery and learning. Museums are benefiting from digital innovation that increases access to the millions of objects in their custody, that connects scholars, the public and the collections in the sharing of information that accelerates the creation of vital knowledge - so critical to address the grand challenges of our times. I am energised by the exciting possibilities ahead for the Museum under Doug Gurr's leadership, and I am deeply honoured to be appointed as a Trustee for this venerable institution.'

Updated December 2020

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