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Ginkgo trees covered with golden yellow leaves and a carpet of yellow leaves on the ground with Olin Library in the background.
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Ginkgo Award Given to Library Advocate and WashU Trustee

By WashU Libraries
Award ceremony
Jack Thomas received the University Libraries’ Ginkgo Award from Mimi Calter.

Jack Thomas, Washington University Trustee and member of the University Libraries National Council, received the inaugural Washington University Libraries’ Ginkgo Award honoring exceptional service to the Libraries. Thomas received the award from Vice Provost and University Librarian Mimi Calter on October 23.

The award takes its name from a historic, iconic, and integral feature of the WashU campus—the beautiful rows of almost 100-year-old Ginkgo trees that form a scenic allée on the eastern side of John M. Olin Library. The Ginkgo Allée’s existence dates to the original 1927 Cope and Stewardson plan for the university campus. Every autumn, the tree’s fan-shaped leaves change to a brilliant yellow. The leaves falling to form a golden carpet is a cherished sight for the campus community.

The award, while new in this form, is a re-imagining of the Dean’s Medal given by former Dean of University Libraries Shirley Baker. Recipients of the Dean’s Medal include Adele Braun Dilschneider in 2012, Jim Schiele (BA ’52, MLA ’85, MA ’11, DLA ’15) in 2009, Julian Edison in 2008, and Nancy Kranzberg (BA ’66) in 1996.

Thomas, who is chair and chief executive officer of St. Louis-based Coin Acceptors Inc., has served on the University Libraries National Council for twenty years, including serving as its chair. He is also a member of the Olin Business School National Council.

“I am deeply honored by this award. It’s been a fascinating twenty years and I have been privileged to work with some exceptional people over the years who have kept WashU at the forefront of American academic libraries,” Thomas said in accepting his award.

“I am thrilled to honor Jack Thomas with our inaugural Ginkgo Award. Jack is a true friend of the Washington University Libraries, which is clear from his commitment to leadership roles on our national council and beyond as well as his philanthropy in support of the Libraries,” said Calter. “Our libraries, students, faculty, and community have all benefitted because of his involvement. Jack’s dedication and exceptional service are truly deserving of this recognition.”

Thomas’s service, leadership, and philanthropic contributions have supported several important initiatives and advances at the University Libraries including the Olin Transformation Project that was successfully completed in 2018, resulting in new and expanded spaces. Thomas, with his wife, Debbie, provided $3 million for the project. In recognition of their gift, Olin Library named its state-of-the-art exhibition space, which connects the south and north entrances of the library, the Jack E. and Debbie T. Thomas Gallery. The Thomas Gallery showcases the Libraries’ unique special collections as well as loaned and traveling exhibits.

With earlier gifts to University Libraries, the couple established the Thomas Humanities Book Fund, the Shirley Baker Lecture Series, and the Jack E. Thomas BU ’28 Family Endowment in Film & Media Archive. They also endowed the Thomas Family Scholarship at Olin Business School.

Thomas noted that the Libraries are at the heart of everyday life at the university. “I enjoy working with the WashU Libraries because we serve every aspect of campus. The Libraries serve undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty in every discipline, and in multiple locations. Every supporter of the University Libraries should take justifiable pride in the fact that they are helping enhance the academic experience for everyone on campus.”