Areas of Specialty

Julie Thomas is an Archivist in the Library, Department of Special Collections and University Archives at California State University, Sacramento. 

She performs a wide range of duties including:

• Provide instruction about primary sources in the classroom.
• Supervising the work of interns and volunteers
• Planning and implementing the departmental preservation program, including environmental monitoring, Integrated Pest Management, and remediation of at-risk primary source material
• Plan and develop special projects to expand access to holdings through digital technology
• Steward and lead reference for the Japanese American Archival Collection
• Work with remote researchers 
• Oversee copyright and permissions of archival holdings
• Curate exhibits
• Plan and implement special events and special program 

Lectures and Presentations

Julie performs one-shot lectures in courses that are required to use primary sources in class assignments. She is also invited by instructors to provide presentations that introduce students to archival concepts and primary sources. She tailors her presentation to align with the instructor's course curriculum. Examples of the variety of the presentations are:

• Primary Sources: An Introduction to Archives
• Advanced Primary Source Research Skills
• Performing Research in the Archives: An Introduction to the Skills of Primary Source Research
• The History of Sacramento State University (illustrated by photos from the University Photograph Collection)

Courses She Has Provided Lectures To:

• History 100
• History 197A & B
• History 203
• History 209A
• History 282
• ENG 198T
• ETHN 11
• ETHN 14
• ETHN 194
• First Year Experience

Professional Biography

Julie was born in Roselle, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. She received a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) and Master of Arts (History) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1995.

She has been a Faculty Librarian at California State University, Sacramento since 2003. Prior to that, she was the Collection Manager of Archives and Manuscripts and Research Specialist at the Chicago Historical Society and a Corporate Archivist at the Motorola, Inc. Corporate Archives.

Julie has extensive experience as an archival consultant to organizations embarking on archival programs, including:

• Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church
• Kennedy Mines Archives, Jackson, California
• Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society, Chicago, Illinois
• Roselle Historical Society, Roselle, Illinois

Archives & Primary Source Video Tutorials

Below are links to video tutorials that will familiarize students with basic and advanced archival and primary source research skills.

Definition of Primary Source Tutorial

Locating Physical Primary Sources Tutorial

Locating Digital Primary Sources Tutorial

Finding Aids Tutorial