Vance M. Thomas

Director of the Library

vmthomas@cbts.edu (913) 667-5729

I started at Central in October 2007 after a recent move to the Kansas City area. I was in the middle of courses for my degree in library science, and I was delighted to have the opportunity to work in theological librarianship. Since then, I have been part of the design and renovation of the space into the current library facility in Shawnee, KS, furnishing the new facility, moving the print collection, and overseeing the dramatic growth of online resources available to all of our students.

While these accomplishments are exciting, the real joy of my position is working with students and helping them succeed in their research and study efforts. To that end, my work entails providing information resources for students and helping them use those resources efficiently and effectively. I am here to help students with designing and conducting research from start to finish. To name just a few elements, I help students identify and articulate their information needs, use online databases to discover and access resources, evaluate resources, and cite resources accurately and appropriately. It may not seem much to others, but it is a privilege for me to hear the stories of our students and to participate in them in this capacity.