John Banionis recently joined the Resource Management and Description Department as the Metrics and Assessment Librarian. Part of Collections and Stewardship, the Resource Management and Description Department assists in building healthy and robust library collections through active conversations with campus communities and strong collaborations with internal and external partners.

“My role relates to the business end of the library. I look at the usage of library materials and develop a comprehensive cost-per-use methodology to support data-driven decision making about Falvey’s resources. I gather data and analyze specific interest points in order to help showcase the value of Falvey and its initiatives to the larger community.”

A native of Philadelphia, Banionis earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Penn State University, a Certificate in Copyright Leadership and Management from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Science in Library and Information Science from Drexel University. Working in sales for numerous journal publishers before transitioning to Falvey Memorial Library, Banionis always had an interest in scholarly publishing.

“I’m excited to move to the library side of the equation, to develop customized solutions for Falvey and integrate data analysis into the library’s workflow.”

Though Banionis typically works with Falvey Library staff, he encourages Villanova faculty and students to reach out to him if they have any specific questions about resource usage levels (using actual data numbers) for determining what resources might be of most interest to students and faculty in a specific department/college.

He also encourages faculty to converse with him about publishing options: “I can provide metrics for academic journals, including alternate venues in which faculty might want to seek publication.”

Another resource he suggests faculty and students utilize is the Affordable Materials Project (AMP). AMP is a university-wide collaboration between the bookstore, Falvey Library, the Center for Access, Success and Achievement, and the Office of the Provost to provide faculty with resources and options for selecting high quality course materials while reducing the cost for students.

“The data I’ve seen already from AMP shows real value. Some of Falvey’s most highly used resources are coming from AMP,” he says. “The overall cost benefit is great because these resources are continually being used by multiple students year after year.”

In his free time, Banionis enjoys tailgating at Penn State football games, playing strategy board games, and spending time with his black cat, Millie. An avid singer (tenor), he is a member of multiple choirs including the Chester County Choral Society, Daylesford Abbey, and a small ad hoc eight-person choir titled Sine Nomine, which translates from Latin as “without a name.”

As Villanova is an R2: doctoral university, Banionis recognizes the opportunity to continue to globally expand research output.

“There are so many great plans and proposals happening at Villanova and at Falvey Library. There’s a lot more research output and an increased need for research support that the library can assist with. Falvey is the university’s steward of scholarly information–fuel for the academic engine.”