Of Faces and Places: Update

Darren Poley, Events and Outreach team leader, was invited to speak on a panel about promoting reading at the Tri-State College Library Cooperative meeting at Rosemont College, May 2. Darren, a member of the One Book Villanova committee, discussed the three-year-old program, explaining its unique features. For example, the book is selected by a combination of faculty, staff, librarians and administrators, and the committee chooses a “heart book over a head book.” 

He also explained some of the programs related to One Book Villanova: themed dinners created by campus dining services, discussion groups and library displays and lectures. Each year a generous donor makes it possible to give every member of the University a copy of the book; at the end of the year used and remaining copies are donated to area schools.

"Information Literacy: Moving Beyond Wikipedia," a paper co-written by Dr. Andrea L. Welker and Barbara Quintiliano, Instructional Services librarian, was presented by Dr. Welker at GeoCongress 2008, held in New Orleans, in March 2008. Dr. Welker is an associate professor, civil and environmental engineering. GeoCongress is the annual congress of the Geo-Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Dr. Welker and Quintiliano incorporate research strategies into the College of Engineering’s course, Geology for Engineers.

Teresa Bowden Edge, the co-team leader of the Access and User Assistance team and librarian liaison to the biology department, is leaving Falvey after nearly nine years. She began her career here at Villanova University as a reference librarian and then became the coordinator for the information desk. Teresa said, “I’ll miss working with my colleagues at the library,” but she is “looking forward to the next chapter with my daughter.”

Dan Overfield, Business Research librarian at Falvey Memorial Library, is taking on a new role this fall: interim team leader for Access and User Assistance. Dan will assume Teresa Edge's responsibilities until a permanent replacement is hired. With his library science background and knowledge of business, Dan sees his new role as an opportunity to use his management skills more fully. 

Marie Humbert, a member of the Access and User Assistance team, who worked for Falvey Memorial Library for 17 years, recently retired. A shelver in the circulating stacks, Marie “took pride in her job," said Laura Hutelmyer. “She took ownership of the fourth floor, not only … making sure that materials were properly shelved, but also helping patrons locate books.”

Marie helped create a thought-provoking library display about the 2006 Amish school tragedy at Nickel Mines, that demonstrated the Amish tradition of forgiveness. Recently Marie donated some remarkable Civil War items to the Library, papers which had belonged to Augustus Humbert, one of her late husband’s ancestors. These are now available online in the Digital Library’s Humbert Collection.

Rev. Dennis Gallagher, O.S.A., University archivist, noted that Marie “was a minister of hospitality” who was well trained by Sister Mary Arthur, I.H.M., a librarian in the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. “Marie’s presence will be missed,” said Father Gallagher.

Julia Canonica, also a member of the Access and User Assistance team and long-time Falvey employee, recently retired from her position. For many years she worked evenings and weekends in Periodicals and, most recently, at the information desk. She also helped in the University Archives with Father Gallagher. University Librarian Joe Lucia said “We will miss her contributions.”

Kiran Qureshi, a second year graduate student in the masters program in communication arts, has an internship with Falvey Memorial Library. She works with Darren Poley in Events and Outreach and in Publications and Communication with Judith Olsen. Kiran is a graduate of Hanover College in Indiana where she received a bachelor of arts in communications with a minor in English.

Shira Loev, who is working toward her master of science in library & information science at Drexel University, is an intern in Special Collections until December. Drexel requires an internship as part of the program in which Shira participates. Shira has an undergraduate degree in English from George Washington University (Washington, D.C.).

Johanna Hibbs is an intern for the fall semester in the Digital Library where she volunteered during the summer. She graduated from Arcadia University with a bachelor’s degree in art history and is now a graduate student there working on a master of arts in humanities. After she completes her master’s degree, she plans to get a master of library science degree. 

Contributed by Alice Bampton, Gerald Dierkes and Judy Olsen; photographed by Alice Bampton and Natalie Tomasco