Old Broadbrim Weekly, no. 30, April 25, 1903. Photo courtesy of the Villanova University Digital Library.

On this day in history (June 16, 1884), the first roller coaster in America opened at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. “Known as a switchback railway, it was the brainchild of LaMarcus Thompson, traveled approximately six miles per hour and cost a nickel to ride.” This week’s “Throwback Thursday” (TBT) is a dime novel from Falvey’s Dime Novel and Popular Literature collection. Follow Detective Josiah Broadbrim as he looks to solve a mystery on Coney Island. Read the full story here.

Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library. Her favorite amusement park is Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.

Basketball Team (Varsity), 1942-1943. Photo courtesy of the Villanova University Digital Library.

On March 15, the NCAA tournament will begin and March Madness will officially be underway. As we Villanovans know very well, our beloved Wildcats have had great success in two of the last three NCAA tournaments: winning the championship in 2018, and making the Sweet 16 last season.

Since 2001, Hall of Famer Jay Wright has and continues to build his program around the motto “We Play for Those Who Came Before Us.” This week’s TBT follows Coach Wright’s motto and takes us back to a photograph of the 1942-1943 Villanova Men’s Basketball Team, which qualified for the Final Four in the inaugural NCAA tournament four years earlier.

While the shorts may be shorter and the shoes less flashy, the 1942-1943 team and this year’s team have both played their part in helping Villanova become a basketball powerhouse.

This picture is courtesy of the Villanova University Digital Archives and can be found on the Library’s website.

Elijah McDow is a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences undergraduate student.

Falvey Memorial Library is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibit, both in the Library’s first floor display cases and online.

“That Fairyland of Ice”: Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory highlights the generous donation of a collection of books and items about the Arctic and Antarctic recently given to the Library’s Distinctive Collections by Dr. James Wheeler. “In organizing this exhibit, we really wanted to share the depth and range of this new collection,” says Laura Bang, Distinctive Collections Librarian and co-curator of the exhibit. “It was also important that we make connections with our other collections materials as well as current issues affecting the polar regions today such as global warming and climate change. These connections really enhance the relevancy of this collection.”

“The title reflects these themes of ‘imagining’ and ‘remembering’ that are present throughout the exhibit,” says Rebecca Oviedo, Distinctive Collections Archivist and the other co-curator. “Many of the items on display are published narrative memoirs of expedition journeys written for general audiences.” From the exhibit introduction:

While these explorative voyages were scientific in nature, the books satisfied public fascination with the polar regions by visualizing previously unknown territories through word and image. But even as explorers filled in and corrected maps and myths, we continue to imagine and construct—from works of pure fiction to conjectures of lost expeditions. And as we read about “that fairyland of ice” we watch it slowly disappear as dire warnings about climate change threaten what we have come to know of the Arctic and Antarctic—once again to mind and memory.

The online exhibit contains additional materials beyond what is on display in the Library. “We are physically limited by what will actually fit in the cases,” says Oviedo, “and we can only show one page of a book at a time, for example, whereas online we can show several pages or even an entire book if we want.” Links to items that have been fully digitized in Villanova’s Digital Library are included when applicable. The online exhibit includes additional section headings as well as a Q & A with Dr. James Wheeler about collecting and acquiring the eclectic collection that now bears his name.

The exhibit was curated by Oviedo and Bang. Graphics created by Joanne Quinn, Director of Communication and Marketing. Photos courtesy of Kallie Stahl, Communication and Marketing Specialist.

Tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 25, the rivalry between Penn State and Villanova will resume. Their first matchup in 70 years, Villanova looks to extend a three-game winning streak against Penn State. Prior to Saturday, the Wildcats have faced the Nittany Lions eight times. Although Penn State leads the series by a 3-4-1 count, Villanova has won the last three: 1936 (13-0), 1949 (27-6), and 1951 (20-14). Saturday’s showdown, the first of a two-game series, begins at noon. The teams will meet again on Sept. 13, 2025. Both games will be played at Beaver Stadium in State College, PA.

Before kickoff, be sure to check out some photos from the rivalry’s previous meetings. Images courtesy of the Villanova University Digital Library.

1936

Villanova defeats Penn State (13-0). Image featured in the 1936 Belle Air yearbook (p. 157).

1949

Villanova defeats Penn State (27-6). Image featured in the 1949 Belle Air yearbook (p. 196).

“Ralph Pasquariello and the rest of the team had a great day in turning the tables on a very good Penn State club that has been highly rated.” Image featured in the 1949 Belle Air yearbook (p. 199).

Villanova defeats Penn State (27-6). “The Lions’ lone touchdown was harmless, scored in the last period as a result of a blocked punt.” Image featured in the 1949 Belle Air yearbook (p. 200).

“Big John Sandusky leads the way for little John Gippi as he steps off yardage against Penn State in the Cats’ 27-6 win.” Image featured in the 1949 Belle Air yearbook (p. 204).

“Pasquariello picking his way through Penn State players as he carries forward for the ‘Cats. This game marked the first time in many years that the Staters were defeated in their opening game.” Image featured in the 1949 Belle Air yearbook (p. 205).

1951

“The scrappy Wildcats clawed the Nittany Lions (20-14), in what many considered a surprise victory.” Image featured in the 1949 Belle Air yearbook (p. 180).

“Yes, you may take one giant step—but that’s all! Bill Brannau’s pass finds Jake Patrick on the Penn State 3-yard line in the second quarter at Allentown.” Image featured in the 1949 Belle Air yearbook (p. 183).

“Shopa of Penn State is tripped by Ralph Cecere.” Image featured in the 1949 Belle Air yearbook (p. 184).

Go ‘Cats! Beat State!

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

References:

Villanova University. (2018, August 30). Villanova and Penn State Announce Two Game Football Series. https://villanova.com/news/2018/8/30/villanova-and-penn-state-announce-two-game-football-series.aspx?path=football

By Kallie Stahl

The 2019 Falvey Scholar Award recipients (from left to right): Matthew Fagerstrom, Erin Donnelly, Elizabeth O’Brien, Jubilee Marshall, Ritesh Karsalia, and Erica Ferrara. Photo courtesy of Shawn Proctor, Communication and Marketing Program Manager at Falvey Memorial Library.

Attention faculty and Villanova seniors: Falvey Scholar Award nominations are now being accepted. The Falvey Scholar Awards are given each spring semester to individual or group projects of seniors who have completed exemplary (and publicly presentable) scholarship or research during their undergraduate careers at Villanova. The awards traditionally have an emphasis on work that has required substantial use of scholarly literature of the sort provided and supported by the library.

Villanova faculty:

• Faculty can nominate students until March 27 by using the link provided on following page: http://library.villanova.edu/about/projects/falveyscholars/
• Once nominated, students will be asked to apply in order to be considered for the award by using a link on the same page. Faculty mentors who plan to nominate should encourage students to apply.
• Please consider nominating a student who exemplifies the awards criteria.

Villanova seniors:

• Villanova seniors, if you’d like to be considered for the Falvey Scholar award urge your faculty mentor to nominate you by forwarding them the nomination link provided on following page: http://library.villanova.edu/about/projects/falveyscholars/
• Students MUST be nominated by a faculty mentor before applying in order to be considered for the award.
• The deadline for faculty nominations is March 27. The deadline for student applications is April 3.

The Falvey Scholar award is an annual program established by Falvey Memorial Library and the Center for Research and Fellowships to recognize outstanding undergraduate research. 2020 winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Falvey Memorial Library’s room 205, on Friday, April 24, at 9 a.m. that will include presentations by the award recipients on the content and findings of the research involved in the writing of the thesis or creation of the project report.

Digital copies of the winning papers are maintained in Falvey’s Digital Library. If you have questions, please contact: libraryevents@villanova.edu

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