Welina e Annie!

Name: Annie Thomas

Where are you from?
I am from wet & rainy places - born in Hilo, raised in Maunawili, lived in Portland, OR for a bit, and currently living in Mānoa.

Why did you decide to work in the Library and Information Science profession?
For me, being a librarian is the perfect intersection of research, books, information, community, culture and empowerment. I have always loved libraries. My mom is a librarian and my childhood was blessed with an abundance of books. As an undergrad, I loved research. I could spend hours in the library, poring over microfilmed newspapers. But I didn't even consider becoming a librarian until about a year after graduating from college. I realized that if I had to get a "real" job, working in a library seemed like the best place to be.

What excites you about Nā Hawaiʻi ʻImi Loa?
NHIL is exciting because it is a venue for support, collaboration and growth for those interested in the role of the library and information science field in supporting the organization of and access to ʻike Hawaiʻi.

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Favorite collection in Hawaiʻi?
I have a special place in my heart for the yearbook collection located in the Hawaiʻi State Library's Hawaiʻi & Pacific Collection. So fun helping patron's find old school pictures of their ʻohana.

What are you currently reading?
Staking Claim: Settler Colonialism and racialization in Hawaiʻi by Judy Rohrer.

Current place of employment:
I have worked as the Hawaiian Resource Specialist at Kapiʻolani Community College since 2013. My responsibilities include managing the Hawaiʻi & Pacific collection, providing library instruction for topics related to Hawaiʻi & the Pacific, and general reference service.

Education:
I received my MLISc from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a BA in History from Lewis & Clark College. High School - Punahou School.

Previous places of employment:
My previous experience includes four and half years as a reference librarian and newspaper indexer at the Hawaiʻi State Library's Hawaiʻi & Pacific Collection. I also have experience working at a range of libraries: children's librarian at Kailua Public Library and other public library branches, Punahou School's Hawaiian Collection, acupuncture college librarian at the World Medicine Institute, and taught a credited library course at TransPacific Hawaiʻi College.

Current or previous work / affiliations in the LIS field:
AHA President 2016-2017, AHA Board Member 2014-2016, HLA Scholarship Committee 2016, HLA Nominations & Elections Committee 2013-2015