I’m William Repetto, a first-year graduate student at Villanova University. This is the “‘Cat in the Stacks” column. I’m your ‘cat. I’ll be posting about college life, about learning and growing here at Villanova, and, of course, about the Falvey Memorial Library’s role.

I wrote last week about writer’s block as a metaphor for those aspects of life that prevent us from authoring each day to its fullest creative potential. I encouraged you to “read,” by finding others who inspire you – whether that person is an author, a vlogger, anyone really.

As we celebrate National Library Week, yesterday being National Library Workers Day, I’d like to take a step back and talk about how this “writer’s block” metaphor works from our side of the circulation desk.

Personal disclosure: yesterday was my birthday, and Hunter Houtzer, PATW author, sent me apropos birthday wishes.

Everyday at the Falvey, we librarians and library staff are given the chance to shape students’ work. Whether it’s the undergraduate writing a term paper, or the graduate student preparing to defend a thesis, we’re given the opportunity to help shape the education of others.

In other words, we’re the guest authors in their academic life. (Or, sometimes even, guest authors in students’ careers!) Beyond the research, we try to enhance students’ life stories through events and promotions.

In our case, writer’s block can come in many forms; shortened weeks because of holiday breaks and snow days can sometimes limit us, even though the databases are accessible remotely and the Dugan Polk Family Reading Room is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We’ll miss you over Easter break but wish you the safest of travels!

When the semester’s busy schedule gets in our way, though, we find our inspiration in you, the students. The amount of effort, organization and productivity that you put into each and every week of the semester keeps the Falvey staff motivated and raring to help week in and week out.

While the ALA has set aside this week for celebrating libraries, I would like to take the chance to celebrate our patrons. Thank you so much for inspiring us every day, Wildcats! Have a safe and wonderful Easter break, and we look forward to tackling the end of the semester grind together.

Article by William Repetto, a graduate assistant on the Communications and Marketing Team at the Falvey Memorial Library. He is currently pursuing an MA in English at Villanova University.