Photo courtesy of Kallie Stahl.

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour began last night at Lincoln Financial Field. Performing for sold out crowds Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Swift’s tour “marks the stadium’s second three-night residency; the first was Bruce Springsteen, naturally (and his dates weren’t even consecutive).” Born in West Reading, PA., and spending time in Wyomissing, PA., and Stone Harbor, NJ, Swift has many ties to the Philadelphia area. This weekend marks Swift’s first time performing in South Philly since 2018.

Whether you’re a Swiftie, or just interested in learning more about the cultural phenomenon surrounding the pop star, check out the Falvey Library resources below:

• Weekend Recs: Red (Taylor’s Version)
• The Words and Music of Taylor Swift (Perone, 2017) *eBook
• Taylor Swift (Olson, 2021) *eBook
• Taylor Swift (Peppas, 2011) *eBook
• Taylor Swift: Superstar Singer and Songwriter (Schwartz, 2019) *eBook
• Taylor Swift: Country Pop Hit Maker (Nelson, 2013) *eBook
• Taylor Swift: Country & Pop Superstar (Houser, 2012) *eBook

Local resources:

• “Philly (Taylor’s Version) — Here’s all of our Taylor Swift coverage in one place” (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
• “How Philly Is Celebrating Taylor Swift in May 2023” (Visit Philadelphia)
• “Taylor Swift mural unveiled on South Street in time for the singer’s Philly concerts” (PhillyVoice)
• “Swiftadelphia’: Excitement building for Taylor Swift’s concert at Linc” (CBS)

Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Library. Her favorite Taylor Swift album is Folklore (pictured above). 

Image courtesy of Kallie Stahl.

It’s the first Saturday in May and the Kentucky Derby is set to begin at 6:57 p.m. ET on NBC. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the race, the fanfare surrounding some of the derby’s traditions have found their way into popular culture (big hats and mint juleps anyone)!

In honor of “The Run for the Roses” check out some fun facts and explore Falvey Library resources below. Visit the Kentucky Derby website for updates on the race and viewing information.

Fun Facts:

• The Kentucky Derby is the longest running sporting event in the United States (the first race took place on May 17, 1875).
• The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses.
• 20 horses compete in the race.
• The race distance is one and one-quarter miles long (which usually takes horses a little over two minutes to complete from start to finish).
• The race is run on a dirt racetrack at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
• Crowds can top 155,000 people.
• The Kentucky Derby is the first race within the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (it is followed by the Preakness Stakes race and the Belmont Stakes race).

Falvey Library Resources:

• The Kentucky Derby, the First 100 Years (Chew, 1974)
• The Kentucky Derby: How the Run for the Roses Became America’s Premier Sporting Event (Nicholson, 2012) eBook
• The Longest Shot: Lil E. Tee and the Kentucky Derby (Eisenberg, 1996) eBook
• Never Say Die: A Kentucky Colt, the Epsom Derby, and the Rise of the Modern Thoroughbred Industry (Nicholson, 2013) eBook
• The Foxes of Belair: Gallant Fox, Omaha, and the Quest for the Triple Crown (Kelly, 2023) eBook 
• The Kentucky Mint Julep (Nickell, 2003) eBook

Works Cited: The Race. (2019). Kentuckyderby.com. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.kentuckyderby.com/history/the-race

Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Library. She visited Churchill Downs in 2019 (unfortunately, not on derby day). 

Good luck to all the athletes competing at the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Fall Festival today!

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

The original Villanova Library, now known as Old Falvey.

Looking for Old Falvey classrooms (101-105)? Enter Old Falvey, walk down the stairs, and turn left.

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

Midterms have passed and V’s of Canadian geese are pointed northward once more. That can only mean one thing—spring is just around the corner.

Earlier this week we caught up with Christine Onder ’24 and Lalih Harris ’25 as they lounged in a hammock near Falvey and enjoyed the almost-but-not-quite-spring vibes on campus.

(Photo by Shawn Proctor)

Happy Weekend, Wildcats!

Here are some students enjoying some socially distanced fun yesterday on the campus green.

“I pray my wish will come true
For my child and your child too
He’ll see the day of glory
See the day when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again”

—”Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” by David Bowie and Bing Crosby

For those who want to reflect on how to bring peace to earth, consider reading Pope John XXIII’s encyclical letter in Falvey’s Memorial Library’s holdings.

You love us! You really, really love us!

When asking students about their favorite outdoor locations, the Villanovan reported that Old Falvey’s patio ranked in the top five! “This spot is perfect for morning contemplation while taking a sip of delicious coffee from Holy Grounds and watching the sunrise.” Feel free to stop by our “Catio” anytime!

Remember the first time you stepped onto campus? How there was a feeling of being in your new home? Doesn’t this just put you right back in the moment?

Courtney McPheter ’21 COE captured that moment here, from the way the light lines the church steeples to the effortless drift of clouds to the flowers that pom-pom along the path.

We suppose we could have gone with These Boots Are Made for Walking as a suitable lyrical caption for this 50-year old photo of a lovesick Wildcat couple gazing across a snowy Mendel Field.

But it’s Valentine’s Weekend and we’re in the mood for love!

So instead, we’re going to imagine that it’s the other #1 hit from February 1966 – Lou Christie’s Lightin’ Strikes – that’s the soundtrack in the heads of these cooing ‘Cats. Admittedly, its lyrics are primarily about a guy not quite ready to settle down, but there really is a chapel there! And it is just around the bend from these two and surrounded by what probably is a dozen pines or so.

We just have to head to the Digital Library’s helpful  Arboreana to make sure.  🙂

Scanned from the 1966 Belle Air.