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Divine Inspiration: Reading the Sacred in Biblical Texts and Imagery—Reception and Panel Discussion


Join us on Thursday, Oct. 19 in Falvey Library’s Speakers’ Corner from 4:30-6:30 p.m. for an exhibit reception featuring historic & noteworthy bibles from Villanova’s Distinctive Collections. The reception will begin with a moderated panel discussion with faculty and collections professionals on the topic of biblical imagery, followed by a live print demonstration with Mike Sgier using linoleum relief blocks that recreate biblical illustrations to highlight historical methods of reproduction from the exhibit. Attendees are invited to participate in the panel Q&A as well as interact with the exhibit content by taking home prints from the demonstration. Themed refreshments and snacks will be provided.

Moderator: 
Meg Piorko, PhD
Distinctive Collections Librarian, Villanova University

Panelists: 
Jennie Castillo, MA
Curator of the University Art Collection & Gallery Director, Villanova University 

Heather Willever-Farr, PhD
Special Collections Librarian, LaSalle University 

Peter Spitaler, ThD
Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, Villanova University 

Print Demonstration by Mike Sgier, MFA
Distinctive Collections Coordinator, Villanova University

This ACS-approved event, sponsored by Falvey Library, is free and open to the public.



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Reviving a forgotten story with song

Posted for: John Banionis, Director of Resource Management & Description

Sheet Music, Billy-boy : the kidnapped child / words by Sam Bullock; Music by W. E. “Paddy” Krepper.

Falvey Library’s Distinctive Collections are full of digitized treasures available in our Digital Library, including many rare and obscure printings of historical American sheet music. Following the encouragement of our Director of Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement, Michael Foight, and given my own involvement singing with several local choirs (including the Villanova Faculty-Staff Choir, currently on hiatus), I embarked to record a vocal rendition of Billy-Boy: the Kidnapped Child, with expert technical assistance from Distinctive Collections Librarian, Meg Piorko. Adding an audio recording to a PDF manuscript provides a much more accessible version of the music itself, and provides greater context to researchers without musical training. (To access the audio, click on the “Download” link at the bottom left of the page and select “Audio (mpeg)”.)

The sheet music’s stunning cover is presented as a strange hybrid of pictorial sheet music and a crime broadside or reward poster. Surrounding a half-tone image of Billy and his mother is a detailed physical description of the boy and the clothes he was last seen wearing when he was abducted in Sharon, Pennsylvania near the Ohio border: “This exact life-size photo of Billy Whitla just as he was dressed when he was taken from school.” This is followed by the offer of a “$1000.00 Reward” from the Scripps-McRae League, the first modern newspaper chain. Not only does a sensational kidnapping help sell newspapers, but it also is fodder for sheet music, a medium that was always in need of fresh, contemporary content. That its cover should resemble a broadside is very clever marketing. An affecting musical chorus also pulls on the heartstrings: “I want to go home to my mamma / Oh won’t you please take me away / I want my dear daddy to hear me / when I kneel down to pray.” The lyrics also mention the $10,000 asked for Billy’s return and Pat O’Reilly who “brought to justice those who caused sweet Billy Boy to cry.” James Boyle was later convicted of kidnapping Billy. Additional music printed here includes the song “I Love Thee My Irish Home.”

Be on the lookout for more recordings, including a Philadelphia-themed tune this Fall!


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TBT: Adventure World

Czech 'dime novel' cover. Image is of two astronauts floating in space.

Photo courtesy of the Villanova University Digital Library.


May 11 is National Twilight Zone Day! Honor Rod Serling’s television series by reading a dime novel from the Villanova University Digital Library. The “Czech ‘dime novel’ – roughly translated as ‘Adventure World’ – (pictured above) covers stories of science fiction and adventure. Starting in 1927 and running until 1938, this was a popular Czech title for adults and children.” Skim the Dime Novel and Popular Literature collection here.

Looking for more sci-fi adventures? You can stream The Twilight Zone on Paramount+ and Amazon Prime. If you’re looking for some recommendations, Entertainment Weekly ranked 30 of the “best” Twilight Zone episodes. You can also check out the Falvey Library resources below:


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

 

 


 

 

 


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TBT: Color Our Collections—Women’s History Month


Flowers, rain, and signs of spring mark March as Women’s History Month! Today’s TBT features coloring pages dating from 1881-1917, depicting various women doing what were once considered “men-only” activities: climbing trees, rowing boats, and voting. In modern terms, these women were definitely girlbosses, and we love to see it!

Women’s History Month celebrates the achievements and triumphs women have contributed to the US throughout the course of history, while also acknowledging the struggles that they faced to claim these rights and skills. If you have some spare time, check out this archive for access to all the illustrations.

Pick one to color! Personally, I’d have to go with The Gentlewoman issue from July, 1917.


Isabel Choi ’26, is Communication & Marketing Assistant at Falvey Library.

 

 


 


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Foto Friday: Georeferencing Historic Maps

Erica Hayes, Digital Scholarship Librarian; Rebecca Oviedo, Distinctive Collections Librarian Archivist; and Jennifer Santoro, Department of Geography and the Environment, examine maps from the John F. Smith, III and Susan B. Smith Antique Map Collection with Villanova students.

Jennifer Santoro, Department of Geography and the Environment, talks with a student about historic maps.

Erica Hayes, Digital Scholarship Librarian, shows students Falvey’s online exhibit, “Projecting the World: An Audio Tour of the John F. Smith, III & Susan B. Smith Antique Map Collection,” and georeferencing tools.

Students focus on maps from the John F. Smith, III and Susan B. Smith Antique Map Collection.


Learning about georeferencing historic maps, students in Jennifer Santoro’s Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) course had the opportunity to examine maps from the John F. Smith, III and Susan B. Smith Antique Map Collection on Thursday, Feb. 23, in Falvey Library. Collaborating with Santoro, Erica Hayes, Digital Scholarship Librarian, showed students georeferencing tools and Rebecca Oviedo, Distinctive Collections Librarian Archivist, shared more information about historic maps in the collection.

View the John F. Smith, III and Susan B. Smith Antique Map Collection here. Contact Rebecca Oviedo for more information.

Interested in integrating digital tools and methods into your research? Contact Erica Hayes.


Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Library. Photos courtesy of Shawn Proctor, Communication and Marketing Program Manager.

 

 


 

 

 


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Welcome to Falvey: Meg Piorko, PhD, Joins Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement

Headshot of Meg Piorko, Digital Scholarship Librarian.

Meg Piorko, Distinctive Collections Librarian.


Meg Piorko, PhD, recently joined Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement (DCDE) as Distinctive Collections Librarian. Falvey Library’s rare collections are organized into three categories—Special Collections, University Archives, and the Digital Library. “I am responsible for cataloging new acquisitions and materials currently in the Library’s collections and adding them to the Digital Library.”

Originally from northern Delaware, Piorko earned a BA in Art History and Studio Art from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, a MA in Art History from Georgia State University, and a PhD in History from Georgia State University. Before joining the Falvey Library staff she was the Curatorial Fellow for the Othmer Library Special Collections at the Science History Institute. “They have a huge alchemy collection of rare materials,” Piorko reflects on her post-doctorial fellowship at the Science History Institute. “I spent 80 percent of my time researching and 20 percent of my time learning library skills from James R. Voelkel, PhD, Curator of Rare Books. I acquired skills that were not taught in my PhD curriculum; like acquisitions, how to accession new materials in the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) and all of the library databases.”

Combining her librarianship and academic background, Piorko is focused on digitizing the materiality of a text. “Theoretically, I come from the standpoint of material bibliography. I mostly work on early hand-pressed texts and every copy is unique. When we replicate something it is never the same. Even on a copy machine, each individual material culture object is different from the other one. If you’ve ever seen artists copy the same print over and over…the print changes every time. So do texts when they are copied and when multiple copies are produced (even in the same edition). I’m interested in copy specific evidence of the production of a material culture object (text) and how it was used by different historical actors. For example, people writing in the margins of their text, or chopping them up and putting them with other texts and rebinding them. How knowledge travels through textual media is what I’m interested in and I hope to bring that to my current position when I’m digitizing. Ensuring I’m also capturing the materiality and the copy specific evidence within these objects.”

The broad collections at Falvey Library and the opportunity to stay near the Philadelphia area drew Piorko to Villanova University. “Philadelphia has such a rich intellectual and cultural history. The city has incredible libraries with all kind of objects to study and make available to individuals that want to know about the cultural heritage. Villanova University is an outstanding holding institution for that. I’m really excited about the collections at Falvey Library. They are really broad and the nature of donations that come to Villanova are not subject specific and seem to be driven by relationships rather than subject. Which results in all kinds of fascinating objects that span different cultures and different time periods.”

Piorko is excited to collaborate with the Villanova community. “I am looking forward to bringing special collections into the classroom and public exhibits; encouraging hands-on (to whatever extent is safe for the materials) interactions with these objects. They should not just sit in the library. These objects are living. They are not just printed and the knowledge is stagnant. People continually contribute knowledge to these objects.” Building relationships and communicating the value of these collections to the Villanova community is essential for Piorko. “Falvey’s collections can be another vehicle of knowledge. I want to connect with the community and let them know about the really incredible things that we have in the collections. That’s what drew me here, the opportunity to help connect the humanity of these objects to to what is being learned in the classroom.”

In her free time, Piorko volunteers with PAWS animal rescue in Philadelphia. She enjoys playing board games and card games and going to the moves to watch horror films. Her reading recommendation for Falvey patrons: Out There by Kate Folk. “I loved this book. I like to read futuristic sci-fi that is also social commentary.”

Piorko’s desk is located in Access Services on Falvey’s first floor (email: megan.piorko@villanova.edu). For more on Villanova University’s distinctive collections materials, please visit this webpage. Distinctive collections materials can be viewed in the Rare Book Room (Wednesday’s 9:30 a.m.11:30 p.m. and Thursday’s 2 p.m.4 p.m.) as well as other hours by appointment. Faculty interested in incorporating Falvey’s collections in the classroom can contact Piorko to discuss options for collaboration.


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

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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TBT: Villanova Women’s Soccer

Photo courtesy of the Villanova University Archives, Villanova University. Collection source: Box 01, Folder 36, VUA 35/26/misc. Photograph, Soccer (Women), 1991. Villanova University Archives, Villanova University. Women’s soccer team playing.

Today is National Soccer Day! This week’s Throwback Thursday (TBT) is a photo taken during the 1991 Villanova University women’s soccer season. For additional images, check out the Villanova University Digital Library.

Celebrating 50 years of Title IX, “the landmark gender equity law passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972, banning sex discrimination in federally funded education programs,” learn more about Villanova University female athletes past and present. Visit the Villanova Athletics website for more information.

Nnenna Lynch, ’93 and Caroline Zajac, ’94. Courtesy of the Villanova University Archives. Image featured in the exhibit “Wildcats Past & Present: Moments from the History of Sports at Villanova.”

Looking for more information on Villanova athletics? Check out the digital exhibit, “Wildcats Past & Present: Moments from the History of Sports at Villanova,” featuring assorted and unique items representative of the varied sports played at Villanova College, and later Villanova University. The exhibit was curated by Susan Ottignon, former Collections Librarian, with assistance from Laura Bang, former Distinctive Collections Librarian, and Michael Foight, Director of Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement. Graphics were designed by Joanne Quinn, Director of Communication and Marketing.


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

 

 


 


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TBT: Gregor Mendel, OSA

Photo of Gregor Mendel display on Falvey's first floor.

Photo courtesy of Shawn Proctor is Communication and Marketing Manager.


This week’s Throwback Thursday (TBT) celebrates the 200th birthday of Gregor Mendel, OSA, born July 20, 1822. Visit Falvey Memorial Library’s first floor to see the new exhibit “Of peas and bees: Bicentennial Exhibit” celebrating “the Father of Modern Genetics.” The exhibit was curated by Michael Foight, Director of Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement (DCDE), with text by Laura Bang, formerly of DCDE, and graphics by Joanne Quinn, Director of Communication and Marketing.

For additional information on Gregor Mendel, check out Shawn Proctor’s blog here. Proctor is Communication and Marketing Manager at Falvey Memorial Library.


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

 

 


 


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Celebrating Mendel’s Bicentennial

Villanova University is celebrating the bicentennial of Gregor Mendel’s birth (1822-1884). Mendel remains a VIA (Very Important Augustinian) on campus due to his vital contributions to understanding modern genetics.

This white board is a humble invitation to stop by the first floor of Falvey Library for the new exhibit “of peas and bees: The Bicentenntial Exhibit,” curated by Michael Foight, Director of Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement Department, with text by Laura Bang, formerly of DCDE.


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Last Modified: July 20, 2022

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