Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. A disclaimer that this column is intended for reflection and entertainment (not for academic research, for example), and infuses scholarly content as possible.

Photo by Trnava University on Unsplash

This week, April 7-13, is National Library Week, a week dedicated to appreciating what libraries do for communities. Whether it’s a university library like Falvey or a public library, libraries are absolutely vital for our communities to learn, research, create, and gather. They provide books, yes, but also technology, expert librarians, digital resources, and so much more. Even the physical spaces provide people with accessible spaces, whether it’s to work on homework, meet with peers, or curl up with a good book.

In celebration of National Library Week, this weekend’s recs are all about libraries.

If you have 2 minutes…and want to stay up-to-date on Library news and events, subscribe to our newsletter. More details here.

If you have 10 minutes…and want to read about a current problem many libraries across the country are experiencing, read this article about the increase in book bans.

Bonus: for more information on banned books, including the 10 most challenged books of 2023, check out the American Library Associations’ Banned & Challenged Books page.

If you have 15 minutes…and want to learn about how libraries are building and bettering communities, listen to this TED Talk. Not only are the books and academic resources that libraries provide vital, libraries also serve as accessible, safe spaces and community hubs for people to gather, create, and learn.

Bonus: if you want to see some of the things Falvey patrons had to say about what they loved about the Library, check out this “Curious Cat” blog post.

If you have 1 hour and 38 minutes…and want to watch a movie that makes you want to go to the library, watch Matilda, available in Falvey’s DVD Collection. I might be biased because this is one of my favorite movies, but this movie shows how important libraries can be for providing safe spaces and, of course, lots of books. (You can also stream the musical movie version of Matilda on Netflix).

Bonus: check out my “Libraries Go to Hollywood” blog post about the library in Matilda.

If you have 1 hour and 45 minutes…and want to watch a movie with a fun library twist, watch Ghostbusters (1984), available to stream for free through Sling TV.

If you have 5 hours…and like mystery novels, read Agatha Christie’s The Body in the Library, available at Falvey. It might be a private library, but it still counts.

Bonus: if you want to read another library-centric book, read Ruth Ozeki’s The Book of Form and Emptiness, available at Falvey.

If you want to celebrate Falvey Hall becoming a hub for Villanova’s academic resources and scholarship as the University’s Library, swing by our 75th Anniversary celebration on Monday, April 22 from 1-3 p.m. on the Falvey Hall Patio for some sweet treats and festivities. More details can be found here. 

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Thursday, Wildcats! This week, the Curious Cat team asked library patrons, “What is your favorite emoji or gif to use with your friends?”

“The ‘You Got It Dude’ Michelle Tanner Gif”
-Lily Matranga ’25 CLAS

“🫡”
-Sadie Callahan ’25 COE

“😵‍💫”
-Nikky Sherriff ’26 CON

Rebecca Amrick is a first-year graduate student in the English Department and a Graduate Assistant at Falvey Library.

Julia Wagner ’26 CLAS is a second-year Economics major and student worker at Falvey Library.

We’re celebrating libraries this week!

National Library Week, April 7-13, 2024, celebrates “the contributions of libraries and librarians,” while promoting “library use and support.” The week-long celebration was first sponsored in 1958 by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries (school, public, academic, and special) across the country.

While we love all libraries, we’re especially excited to celebrate Falvey Hall. Monday, April 22, 2024, marks the 75th anniversary of Falvey Hall as the home of Villanova University’s Library! The Villanova Community is cordially invited to join us on April 22 from 1-3 p.m. on the Falvey Hall Patio to celebrate the major milestone. We’ll offer a variety of delicious treats including cake, cookies, and candy for attendees to savor during this sweet moment (or until supplies last!) In honor of the Library’s namesake, we’ll also be raffling off a limited amount of custom Father Falvey socks.

You can help us commemorate this momentous occasion! Make sure to stop by to sign our big anniversary card and take a trip down memory lane by sharing your favorite Falvey memories! We want to know what part Falvey has played during your journey at Villanova. We hope to see you there. Cheers to 75 memorable years!

Take a peek at some throwback photos of Falvey Hall below. All images are courtesy of the Villanova Digital Library. More throwback memories of Falvey Hall will be featured on April 22.

Students in Falvey Memorial Library, 1979.

Dedication Of Villanova College Library, 1949.

Commencement, 1950.

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

As Falvey’s Cat in the Stax, Rebecca writes articles covering a broad range of topics, from academics to hobbies to random events. All the while highlighting how Falvey Library can enhance your Villanova experience!

Happy Wednesday, Wildcats! We’re back with another Author Spotlight. I know life may be getting hectic as we near the end of the semester, but remember to take some time to take a break and relax. This month’s featured writer is a poet, so you can simply take a few minutes to read one poem at a time.

April is National Poetry Month, a time to recognize poets and poetry’s contribution to literature and culture. Established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now one of the largest literary celebrations in the world. Millions of readers, students, teachers, librarians, and publishers participate every year by recognizing poets and reading poetry. Therefore, it seems fitting that this month’s Author Spotlight should feature poet Carolyn Forché, who the University had the honor of hosting as a speaker last week for the 2024 Villanova Literary Festival.

Photo courtesy of Blue Flower Arts

Carolyn Forché is recognized as a “poet of witness,” a term she herself coined. She has published five books of poetry, and much of the poems in these works address political and social issues. However, her first volume, Gathering the Tribes, is a deeply personal work. It was published when she was 24 years-old and recounts experiences from her young adult life. It won the 1975 Yale Series of Younger Poets Award. Her next release was The Country Between Us which won the Lamont Prize of the Academy of American Poets in 1981. Forché is also the author of The Angel of History, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Award, and The Blue Hour, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her most recent collection of poetry is called In the Lateness of the World and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. The poems in this collection meditate on migrations across oceans and borders but also between the past and present and life and death.

Forché has also written a memoir titled What You Have Heard is True, an account of her experiences in El Salvador during a time of political upheaval. Her visit to El Salvador sparked her work as a human rights activist, which can be seen in many of her early poems. Her anthology, Against Forgetting: Twentieth-Century Poetry of Witness, was praised by Nelson Mandela as “itself a blow against tyranny, against prejudice, against injustice.” For her humans rights work and efforts to preserve memory and culture, she was presented the Edita and Ira Morris Hiroshima Foundation for Peace and Culture Award in 1998 in Stockholm. 

Carolyn Forché is not only a poet but a translator as well. She has translated the works of Claribel Alegría, Robert Desnos, Lasse Söderberg, Fernando Valverde and Mahmoud Darwish. Her translations of these poets have received great critical acclaim.

For all you poetry lovers out there, Carolyn Forché’s work will make you think and feel as she ties the political and poetic together to create memorable, though-provoking, and heart-wrenching poems.

Rebecca Amrick is a first-year graduate student in the English Department and a Graduate Assistant at Falvey Library.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

In The Giver, Lois Lowry wrote, “Memories are forever.”

Happy Monday, Wildcats! You might be at the point of the semester where you’re flooded with papers and exams—and those are certainly crucial—but it’s also important to remember that making time to enjoy yourself and make some good memories is also essential.

So, in between your studying and writing, spend time with your friends and do the things you want to do. The memories you make will last a lifetime.

THIS WEEK AT FALVEY

Monday, April 8

Mindfulness Monday | 1-1:30 p.m. | Multifaith Prayer Room, St. Rita’s Hall | Virtual Option | ACS-Approved | Free & Open to Villanova Students, Faculty, & Staff

Center for Speaking and Presentation/The Learners’ Studio | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Tuesday, April 9

Scholarship@Villanova Event: Ed Sion, PhD | 3-4 p.m. | Room 205 | ACS-Approved | Free & Open to the Public | Light Refreshments Served

Center for Speaking and Presentation/The Learners’ Studio | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Wednesday April 10

Copyright and Your Thesis or Dissertation (Virtual Workshop) | 12-1 p.m. | Virtual | Free & Intended for Graduate Students | Register Here

Center for Speaking and Presentation/The Learners’ Studio | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Thursday, April 11

Spring 2024 Digital Seeds Speaker Series: Leveraging Large Language Models to Unveil Seventeenth-Century Books of Secrets | 12-1 p.m. | Virtual | ACS-Approved | Free & Open to the Public | Register Here

Center for Speaking and Presentation/The Learners’ Studio | 12-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Sunday April 14

Center for Speaking and Presentation/The Learners’ Studio | 3-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

HOLIDAYS THIS WEEK

Photo by Marcela Rogante on Unsplash

If you have any pets, Thursday, April 11, is National Pet Day. I hope you’re able to cherish some time with your pets today, but if they’re back home, I hope some cute pictures and videos will hold you over until you’re able to reunite at the end of the semester. If you’re more of a plant person, Saturday, April 13, is International Plant Appreciation Day.

Friday, April 12, is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. If you’re in the mood for some comfort food, a grilled cheese is a great and versatile option, as it can be paired with tons of additions, like tomato soup, ham, bacon, fig jam (if you’re really feeling fancy), or your favorite type of bread.

If you need an excuse to goof off a little, Sunday, April 14, is International Moment of Laughter Day. I know it’s the end of the semester and basically prime time for stress, but letting a little joy and laughter into your life is vital. So, take some time today to watch a funny movie, spend time with your friends, or even scroll on TikTok.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Please join us on Friday, April 19, from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Connelly Center Cinema as we celebrate the official launch of the 2024 issue of CONCEPT, our interdisciplinary journal of graduate studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The ceremony will recognize this year’s Graduate Research Prize for top paper, along with all of the student authors and editors, faculty editors, and peer reviewers.

The panel discussion will be held in the Cinema, followed by a reception beginning at 3:30 p.m. in the Grad Center Student Lounge in Vasey Hall. This event will also be livestreamed.

CONCEPT accepts submissions from Villanova graduate students in all fields of the arts and sciences and is an opportunity for them to share their scholarship and research.

The 2024 edition of CONCEPT marks the 47th release of the journal. This ACS-approved event, co-sponsored by Falvey Library, the Office of Graduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Center for Graduate Research and Education, is free and open to the public.

Visit the CONCEPT website to learn more about the journal and to browse past volumes.

Happy Friday, Wildcats! Falvey Library is delivering you another semester of Weekend Recs, a blog dedicated to filling you in on what to read, listen to, and watch over the weekend. Annie, a graduate assistant from the Communication department, scours the internet, peruses the news, and digs through book stacks to find new, relevant, and thought-provoking content that will challenge you and prepare you for the upcoming week. A disclaimer that this column is intended for reflection and entertainment (not for academic research, for example), and infuses scholarly content as possible.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

It’s officially April, which marks the beginning of National Poetry Month, a month dedicated to the art of poetry–whether it be writing, reading, performing, or studying it. Poetry is an art form whose end product can look and sound a nearly endless possibility of different ways, but its meanings often resonate with us, even for generations. It can also be deeply personal, feeling a certain allegiance to the poets whose words speak to you, whether it be Poe, Shakespeare, Plath, or Angelou. In celebration of National Poetry Month, this Weekend’s Recs will take a dive into the world of poetry, poems, and the poets who create them.

If you have 3 minutes…and like the political commentary of slam poetry, watch the “Lost Voices” slam poem. It may have gone viral a few years ago, but it continues to be relevant today.

If you have 12 minutes…and are a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, listen to late actor Christopher Lee’s narration of “The Raven.” Not only is this poem arguably one of the most iconic of all time, Christopher Lee’s distinctive voice really brings the poem to life.

Bonus: if you want to explore the poetic works of Poe, read this collection of his poetry.

If you have 16 minutes…and like TED Talks, watch this talk by Pages Matam, who blends typical TED-talk-style lecturing about how poetry can offer a unique opportunity to use your voice with interspersed spoken word poetry.

If you have 25 minutes…and want to read academic work on one of the most popular forms of poetry today, read this article about the poetry of modern hip-hop.

If you have 1 hour and 26 minutes…and want to learn more about Poe, watch “Edgar Allan Poe: Buried Alive” from PBS’s American Masters, available to stream online through Falvey.

If you have 1 hour and 43 minutes…and like the poets of the Beat movement, watch Kill Your Darlings, available to stream online through Falvey. This dark academia film follows the two early Beat poets Allen Ginsburg and Lucien Carr during their time at Columbia University, and like other works in the dark academia sub-genre, it involves murder, romance, and poetry.

If you have 2 hours and 5 minutes…and are a fan of Emily Dickinson, watch A Quiet Passion, available to stream for free on Pluto. Starring Cynthia Nixon, this biopic follows Dickinson from childhood to her death.

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels

Bonus: if you have Apple TV, and want a more comedic and creative take–including her obsession with death–on Emily Dickinson’s life, watch the Dickinson series, starring Hailee Steinfeld. You can also read a collection of Emily Dickinson’s poems here.

If you have 4 hours…and like quick-reads, read Dead Poet’s Society, available in our Popular Reading Collection. The book was actually written after the classic movie starring Robin Williams and Ethan Hawke (among others), but the book is still largely a love letter to poetry.

If you have 8 hours…and want to take a dive into the study of poetry, read Poetry by John Strachan, available online through Falvey.

Bonus: if you want to check out books of poetry for some inspiration, browse Falvey’s collection.

For more library resources on poetry, check out the Poetry Subject Guide.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Happy Thursday, Wildcats! In anticipation of the total solar eclipse occurring next Monday, April 8, 2024, the Curious Cat team asked students this week, “What are your plans for the upcoming eclipse?”

“Look out my window! (don’t look at sun)”
-Peyton Walker ’26 CLAS

“Visit the Mendel Planetarium!”
-Sofia Arrascue ’26 VSB

“Solar Eclipse watch party with friends”
-Emilie Agras ’25 CLAS

Rebecca Amrick is a first-year graduate student in the English Department and a Graduate Assistant at Falvey Library.

Julia Wagner ’26 CLAS is a second-year Economics major and student worker at Falvey Library.

Steven T. Goldsmith (he/him), PhD.

Please join us on Tuesday, April 23, from 4-5 p.m. in Falvey Library’s Speakers’ Corner for a talk by Steven T. Goldsmith (he/him), PhD, Associate Professor of Environmental Science, 2023-2024 Faculty Fellow in Climate, Justice, & Sustainability, Department of Geography and the Environment, Villanova University, titled “Broadening Diversity in the Environmental Sciences Through a High School Environmental Justice Focused Research Experience.”

Urban communities often suffer the greatest damage from poor water, air, and soil quality. Geoscience programs, including the environmental sciences, are the foundation for jobs tasked with remedying these problems; however, the racially minoritized residents who disproportionately experience environmental burdens are vastly underrepresented in these fields. This partnership with Walter B. Saul High School in Philadelphia uses an immersive, locally based, culturally responsive research experience in urban environmental geochemistry, through an environmental justice lens, to broaden a pathway to the geosciences for underrepresented minoritized students. Students are engaged though both school-based active learning modules and a solutions-based summer research experience carried out alongside Villanova undergraduate students. This talk will highlight successes, challenges, and lessons learned.

This ACS-approved event, sponsored by The Villanova Strategic Initiative for Climate, Justice and Sustainability (SICJS) and Falvey library, is free and open to the public.