Nicole Daly, Service Desk Coordinator.

Nicole Daly recently joined Access Services as the Service Desk Coordinator. Supporting the University’s teaching, learning, and research goals, Access Services provides a number of services to patrons including access to and maintenance of Falvey’s collections, library information and assistance, support for library equipment and technologies, placement of selected print or scanned materials on Course Reserves and Blackboard, and delivery of materials that are requested through Interlibrary Loan or E-ZBorrow.

“Working in Access Services, you do a bit of everything” said Daly, who works alongside Michael Sgier, Service Desk Coordinator, supervising the service desk and the library’s student employees. “I also manage course reserves, so if there is a specific book or book chapter(s) that a professor would like their students to have access to, I work to ensure that resource is available at Falvey.”

Graduating with a BA in Psychology from Arcadia University, Daly earned a MS in Psychology from Villanova University. Her master’s thesis examined sex differences in susceptibility to stress-induced increases in binge drinking. Daly and her colleagues’ research “Brain 5-HT Deficiency Prevents Antidepressant-Like Effects of High-Fat-Diet and Blocks High-Fat-Diet-Induced GSK3β Phosphorylation in the Hippocampus” was published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience.

While attending Villanova, Daly a native of Bristol, Pa., worked at the Yardley branch of the Bucks County Free Library as a Customer Service Associate. During her academic journey at Villanova, Daly discovered another career path. “I had some wonderful professors at Villanova and they always wanted you to find your fit…your place in the field. Working in a library had always been a passion of mine, and I realized I wanted to pursue a Master’s in Library and Information Science (MLS).” Currently enrolled at San José State University, Daly plans to graduate with her MLS next year, also earning an advanced certificate in Digital Assets with a focus in Data Analytics and Data Driven Decision Making.

Knowing of Daly’s plans to work at an academic library, Abby Cengel, former Falvey Library Access and Collections Coordinator, urged her to apply for an opening at Falvey Library. “I worked with Abby at the Bucks County Free Library, and she urged me to apply for the position. Having worked at Villanova, Abby knew that it would be a great opportunity.”

Her transition from the lab to library provides her with the research background that will inform her future work as a social sciences librarian. “They do work really well together. Working in a library you are the information professional…working to connect and find resources for your community. I was already doing quite a bit of that as a researcher in the field.”

In her free time, Daly enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and baking. “I recently made a cookie dough cheesecake. I’m a big cookie person, so I frequently make a bunch of cookies recipes. I love baking these lemon ricotta cookies (that are supposed to have icing on them) but I always end up eating them before they can be frosted.”

Before the pandemic, Daly and her mother would frequent the cinema multiple times a month to keep up on new releases. Currently she is watching more television and recommends “The Witcher,” “Shadow and Bone,” and “A Discovery of Witches.” She recommends the book series for those screen adaptations as well.

Daly’s desk is located in Access Services on Falvey’s first floor (Email: ndaly3@villanova.edu). Stop by and say hello if you see Daly at the service desk! “I loved Villanova while I was here and I’m happy to have this opportunity at Falvey Library.”

Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library.