Merrill Stein, former Social Sciences Librarian.

“Let us take things as we find them: let us not attempt to distort them into what they are not…We cannot make facts. All our wishing cannot change them. We must use them.”  —Saint John Henry Newman 

For the last 34 years, that quote remained a prominent fixture at the desk of Merrill Stein, Social Sciences Librarian, who retired in January. Finding facts and making them accessible to the Villanova community informed every facet of Stein’s many capacities at Falvey Library. Stein came to Falvey Library after previous positions at Drexel University, Saint Joseph’s University, and the non-profit organization Lyrasis. 

Supporting scholarship at Villanova, Stein was the liaison to political science, psychology, public administration, geography, and naval sciences. The social sciences representative on the Collection Management Committee, he served as leader of the social sciences team. Actively involved in numerous Library and University initiatives, Stein co-organized many events and instruction workshops. 

Reporting for the Library blog or offering research help, Stein was eager to assist others in the discovery of information. “We’ve made so many things available to the Villanova community and beyond. I enjoyed helping students and faculty while learning alongside them.”

Sam Luquet, Resource Management & Description Coordinator.

Sam Luquet joined Resource Management & Description (RM&D) as Resource Management & Description Coordinator. RM&D “builds and cultivates collections through acquisitions, licensing, description, discovery, and access to resources for Villanova scholars and community.” Detailing their new role, Luquet shares some of their responsibilities, “I help purchase new materials for the library, maintain existing subscriptions, process textbooks for CASA, and help manage our periodicals among other things.”

Luquet joins the Falvey Library staff after completing their master’s degree in library and information science from Drexel University. “I was eager to find a position in my career field. I have worked at universities in the past and loved them, so this position was perfect for what I wanted” they said. Originally from Wilmington, DE, they got their bachelor’s degree in english from Cabrini University.

They love doing anything creative! In their free time, Luquet enjoys painting, drawing, crocheting, knitting, and calligraphy. “I also always love hanging out with my three cats, Kira, Elsa, and Blue. Working in a library I am, of course, a big reader! My to-be-read pile has lots of horror, thriller, and fantasy titles. I am also a big fan of horror movies, and anything Halloween related,” they shared. For the upcoming “spooky season” Luquet recommends the following books for Falvey Library patrons: The Last Word by Taylor Adams, How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix; and Home Before Dark by Riley Sager.

“I am thrilled to be part of the Villanova community and have felt so welcome here!” Luquet’s office is located on the second floor of Falvey Library. Email sam.luquet@villanova.edu; 610-519-6945.

Erin Palmer, Resource Management and Description Coordinator.

Erin Palmer joined Resource Management & Description (RM&D) as Resource Management and Description Coordinator. RM&D “builds and cultivates collections through acquisitions, licensing, description, discovery, and access to resources for Villanova scholars and community.” Describing her role, Palmer enjoys the variety of her work. “No two days are the same,” she reflects. “I’m part of a great team of three coordinators working in RM&D. My tasks range from ordering materials, processing invoices, cataloging new items, training student workers, and working with our incredible team on collaborative projects to better serve the patrons of Falvey.”

Palmer joins the Falvey Library staff after completing her master’s degree in library science from Clarion University. “With Villanova’s stellar reputation, applying here was a no-brainer! I saw the description for this position and thought it was an excellent opportunity to continue my learning in the field with hands-on experiences – something I have done and continue to do every day.” Originally from Central NJ, she has always considered PA a second home. She earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Kutztown University. “From many camping trips growing up to my time in undergrad at Kutztown University I’ve always felt at home in the Keystone state. I ended up in the library field by way of a secondary education bachelor’s degree. While a bit different, my love for reading and research is a common presence between the two fields.”

An avid reader, Palmer read 89 books last year. “I also enjoy cooking and food in general! I spend many days off trying new restaurants with my boyfriend, two sisters, and friends.” Her reading recommendations for Falvey patrons: “For general fiction I recommend anything by Jennifer Weiner (I just recently finished Mrs. Everything) because I love the way she creates such complex characters. For fantasy I suggest the duology For the Wolf and For the Throne by Hannah Whitten, a fresh take on Little Red Riding Hood. For rom-com, I adore everything by Emily Henry and Christina Lauren. And I’d say for a thriller: All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda.”

Palmer’s office is located on the second floor of Falvey Library. Email erin.palmer@villanova.edu; 610-519-7966. She encourages the Villanova community to reach out to the RM&D team. “We’re always happy to answer questions or to point anyone in the right direction!”

Nancy Foasberg, Scholarly Communication Librarian.

Nancy Foasberg recently joined Research Services and Scholarly Engagement (RSSE) as the Scholarly Communication Librarian. RSSE works to “support research, teaching, and learning at Villanova University; enabling the discovery of, access to, and stewardship of a vast array of scholarly resources.”

“I’ve been doing scholarly communication work as part of my job for quite some time, but it was one of many responsibilities for me, so I was very pleased to have the opportunity to focus on it exclusively,” Foasberg shared of her new role. “Villanova seems like an exciting place to be! I also love this area – the natural beauty of the forests and the hills – and have many friends and family members nearby.”

Growing up in Gold Country (“Nevada County, home of the Empire Mines and the famous Malakoff Diggins!”), Foasberg earned her bachelor’s degree in english and spanish, and master’s degree in english from California State University, Chico. “I wrote my master’s thesis on Coleridge’s enigmatic, unfinished poem Christabel.” She earned her master’s degree in library science from Drexel University. “Once I graduated [from Drexel], I got a job at Queens College, CUNY, as the subject librarian for English and a few other subjects, which I enjoyed very much, but I gradually moved toward scholarly communication as I became convinced of the urgency of supporting open access.”

Foasberg is looking forward to supporting scholarly communication at Villanova University. “I plan to do a lot of outreach and education around scholarly communication issues including open access, authors’ rights, establishing a scholarly profile, choosing a publisher, and more.”

She will also be working to further develop the library’s scholarly communication initiatives including the Scholarship Open Access Reserve (SOAR) Fund. “SOAR can help you pay fees associated with open access publishing. I dream of one day establishing an institutional repository to support self-archiving. I am also very interested in pursuing some of the many other strategies by which libraries can support open access.”

In her free time, Foasberg enjoys playing board games. “I’ve been playing Eurogames since around 2004, but more recently have also come to appreciate more story-driven campaign-style games, since they play well with two players in quarantine conditions. I’ve enjoyed all three Pandemic Legacy games (yes, I decided to play Pandemic during a pandemic!), Gloomhaven, and most of all, Sleeping Gods, with its beautiful artwork, complicated world, and the ability to play on an atlas.  Having taken up competitive games again, though, I have really been enjoying Woodcraft, by Vladimir Suchy, who may well be my favorite of all game designers.”

Her reading recommendations for Falvey staff: “Right now, I’m in the middle of two series. The first is Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch series; so far, I’ve only read the first book, Ancillary Justice, which is incredible. It’s a story about a sentient spaceship, but it’s also a brilliant examination of identity and imperialism, set in an absolutely fascinating world (or set of worlds). It’s astonishing in all the ways that the best science fiction is, and I’m eager to read the other books in this series. I’m also re-reading Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea series, a classic which I revisit quite often.”

She is looking forward to getting to know the community and encourages faculty, students, and staff to reach out. “I’m happy to be here, and I’m available to answer questions about copyright, publishing, and related subjects.” Foasberg’s office (218C) is on the second floor of Falvey Library.

Email nancy.foasberg@villanova.edu; 610-519-5075.

Anne Morgan, Metadata Librarian.

Anne Morgan, Metadata Librarian, joined Resource Management & Description (RM&D). RM&D “builds and cultivates collections through acquisitions, licensing, description, discovery, and access to resources for Villanova scholars and community.”

“I will mostly be creating and editing metadata for library materials,” Morgan shares of her new role. “For example, I will be creating metadata for print books and eBooks—generally speaking, making sure that useful information about the books (title, author, etc.) is available for library users, and that the books can be physically located or accessed online.” Having done research with materials from the Digital Library’s Catholica collection, Morgan recalled her prior experience with Falvey Library when applying for the role.

Originally from St. Louis, MO, Morgan received a bachelor’s degree in history from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO, and a master’s degree in information studies from the University of Texas at Austin. In her free time she enjoys going to concerts. “I like listening to metal and industrial music.” She is also learning German. Her reading recommendations for Falvey patrons: I and Thou by Martin Buber. “I learned that Martin Luther King, Jr. referenced this book in his Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

Morgan’s office is located on the second floor of Falvey Library.

Email a.morgan@villanova.edu; 610-519-7821.

“A few years ago, before COVID-19 and before she retired, I bumped into Robbie and her family at a local ice cream parlor; it was so nice to see her smiling and surrounded by grandchildren. That is how I will remember her.” -Luisa Cywinski, Director of Access Services.

The campus community and Falvey Library are saddened to hear the news of the passing of former library staff member Roberta (Robbie) Rosci on March 7, 2023. She was 68. A resident of Drexel Hill, Pa., Rosci joined Villanova University in 1997. She retired in October 2020, after almost 23 years of service to Falvey Library. David Burke, Metadata Librarian, expressed his gratitude working alongside Rosci in Resource Management & Description. “I admired how she persevered in coming in to work no matter how sick she got (she had Multiple Sclerosis for at least the last 10 years while working at Falvey) and still preserved a friendly, good-natured demeanor.”

Rosci’s “greatest joy in life was being a mother and a grandmother.” Regina Duffy, Communication & Marketing Program Manager, fondly remembers the joy Rosci displayed whenever she spoke of her family and her late husband Michael (Mike) Rosci, Sr. “Robbie was a warm and welcoming presence at Falvey Library. I always enjoyed seeing her at our staff events and chatting about her grandchildren. Talking about them lit up her entire face—she was so proud to be their grandmother. Robbie will be greatly missed by all.”

Her colleague Laura Hutelmyer, former Acquisitions & Electronic Resources Coordinator, expressed her gratitude in working alongside Rosci. “Robbie’s job was to catalog books, but as many books evolved to an online format, Robbie was asked to take on special assignments that required training and perseverance. She always accepted these challenges and worked hard. Even as COVID-19 sent us all to work from home, Robbie attended every morning meeting via cell phone and participated fully, in spite of physical limitations, as part of the team. Robbie was devoted to Falvey Library and, for 23 years, continued a Rosci family Villanova tradition that began with her husband Mike. She was a kind co-worker and a good friend to many in the library.”

Margaret Duffy, Director of Finance & Administration, will remember Rosci for her kindheartedness and friendly smile. “Her family was everything to her…she was always so proud of her boys. As Robbie’s health declined, her husband Mike faithfully brought her to and from work every day, making sure she was settled at her desk, which is where she wanted to be. Robbie was determined to remain active and engaged in work at Falvey Library as long as she was able. I enjoyed sharing our conversations about grandchildren and seeing her at the year-end picnic at the preschool our grandchildren attended together. Robbie was a good friend and colleague at Falvey and will be greatly missed.”

Contributions in Rosci’s memory can be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. View her full obituary here. Robbie will be greatly missed at the Library and throughout the Villanova community.

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

“Every day I would wave to Robbie and her husband Mike as they left Falvey Library. My desk is near a large window and I always looked forward to our brief exchange. They were both kind and generous people.”

Jacqueline (Jackie) Mirabile.

“She was unflappable, kind, and had a wonderful dry humor. Above all she was kind, always kind.” —Jutta Seibert, Librarian for History, Art History and Global Interdisciplinary Studies

The campus community and Falvey Memorial Library are saddened to hear the news of the passing of former library staff member Jacqueline (Jackie) Mirabile. Born and raised in Vermont, Mirabile, a devoted Catholic, played the piano and organ at local parishes to help fund her education. She was Valedictorian of her class at Mount Saint Mary Academy, graduated Trinity College with a major in history, and earned a master’s degree in library science from Simmons College.

Before joining the Falvey Library staff, Mirabile worked at the Free Library of Philadelphia and a regional patent company. She was the second full-time reference librarian hired at Falvey Library by then head of reference Louise Green in 1982. “For nearly thirty years, Jackie provided dedicated, exemplary professionalism as a reference librarian (and team leader for information and research assistance) at Falvey Library until retirement in 2011.” She taught numerous research sessions as the liaison librarian to the psychology and education & human resource departments. “Mirabile also served on Falvey’s Management Policy Group (MPG), communication team, and the University-wide Villanova Quality Improvement (VQI).”

Mirabile was dedicated to providing exceptional service to the Villanova community. As former co-worker Barbara Quintiliano wrote, “The real effort to provide service is the one thing that has remained constant throughout the evolution of her profession, and her favorite aspect of the job was ‘finding what the patron wants’—something all librarians know well as the love of the hunt.” She was a great resource for Villanova University students, faculty, staff, and her Falvey co-workers. As Seibert reflected, “I was lucky enough to work with Jackie for more than 10 years. She never tired of mentoring new staff members and her extensive knowledge of Catholic reference sources, Villanova history, and census data were often a lifeline for me. After she retired we bought season tickets for the Villanova Theatre as a way to stay in touch and we had a great time going to the shows together.”

Her colleague Laura Hutelmyer, former Acquisitions & Electronic Resources Coordinator, expressed her gratitude in working alongside Mirabile. “Jackie was always such a great resource for so many things, but what I appreciated the most were her book recommendations. While we worked together it was easy to find Jackie, discuss our favorite books and get ideas for new reads. When she retired I really missed her and our discussions. Fortunately, one spring I was invited as a guest to the Retiree Luncheon, and there was Jackie! I made a bee line for my book buddy and we picked up right where we left off. When I think of Jackie I will always remember her calm demeanor, her smile, and the friendship we developed over the love of books.”

When she wasn’t reading (or sharing recommendations), Mirabile enjoyed gardening and puzzles—specifically Scrabble. Demian Katz, Director of Library Technology, credits Mirabile with helping to start the first Falvey Library “game lunch,” a tradition that continues with library staff. “I very much enjoyed working with her,” said Katz. “The first iteration of ‘game lunch’ was a small group of us, including Jackie, playing Scrabble on a regular basis. Jackie always won—she was an astonishing Scrabble player—but it was fun regardless of its inevitable end.” Luisa Cywinski, Director of Access Services, often referred to Mirabile as “The Queen of Scrabble.”

Mirabile passed away on Dec. 31, 2021, in Haddonfield, NJ. She was 84. View her full obituary here. For more on Mirabile’s work at Falvey Library, view her retirement announcement. Jackie will be greatly missed at the Library and throughout the community.

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

Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins. Photo credited to New Line Cinema/WingNut Films.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Wildcats! Instead of swooning over the classic literary romances, this blog celebrates the other relationship we rely on—friendship. Commemorating confidants, Falvey Memorial Library staff shared their favorite novel(s) that spotlight friendship. So, find a comfy spot, grab some coffee (and chocolate), and check out one (or a few) of the recommendations below!

David Burke, Metadata Librarian: “The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien celebrates the friendship between Sam and Frodo.”

Sarah Wingo, Liaison Librarian for English Lit, Theatre, & Romance Languages: “Sam’s friendship to Frodo in The Lord of the Rings trilogy is for me one of the most beautiful friendships in literature. One of the only things I was annoyed with in the movies is Sam abandoning Frodo on the steps of Cirith Ungol, because Sam WOULD NEVER! They get separated in the books, but Sam does not leave Frodo.”

Jeannine Ahern, Finance/Administration Specialist: “I really enjoyed Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah.”

Roberta Pierce, Access & Collections Coordinator: “Firefly Lane—The Netflix adaption is really good.”

Regina Duffy, Communication and Marketing Program Manager: “Becoming by Michelle Obama. I thought it was a really compelling memoir. Michelle talks a lot about the importance of being able to lean on friends in tough times and making sure to keep space for them in her life, even when she thought she was too busy. Being that person of support for your friends is important as well.”

Luisa Cywinski, Director of Access Services: “I’d like to recommend The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The complicated friendship between exploited Black maids and a privileged White woman came across as honest and didn’t lead to a ‘happy ending,’ but instead highlighted the importance of talking about and exposing racism.”

Darren Poley, Associate Director of Research Services: “True Friendship: Where Virtue Become Happiness by John Cuddeback; Tolkien and C.S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship by Colin Duriez; Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh; The Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos; The Song of Ronald by an unknown author, translated by Dorothy L. Sayers; The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle; The Adventures of Tintin by Georges Remi; Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen; and The David Story: A Translation with Commentary of 1 and 2 Samuel by Robert Alter.”

Linda Hauck, Business Librarian: “The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes and The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer.”

Joanne Quinn, Director of Communication and Marketing: “Life is good!: Lessons in Joyful Living written by Trixie Koontz. Donna Chadderton sat in the desk next to mine for years when we both worked in Access Services. We talked about interlibrary loan and how much we hated troubleshooting the public computers. But most of all, we traded stories about our golden retrievers. At the time, our family had Duffy, and she and Ron, Professor Emeritus in Villanova’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, had Buddy. When Duffy passed away, she gave me a beautiful little gift book entitled Life is good!: Lessons in Joyful Living written by Trixie Koontz (a golden herself, owned by author Dean Koontz—who I suspect also may have had a hand in writing the book). The book was a treasured token of our friendship, and since Donna retired, I often think of her great dog training advice, her devotion to the Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue (DVGRR), and the many, many conversations we had about our fluffy BFFs.”

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

By Kallie Stahl

This week, the Curious ‘Cat asked Falvey Memorial Library staff,

“What are your plans for winter break?” 

Caroline Sipio, Access and Collections Coordinator

Jesse Flavin, Acquisitions and Electronic Resources Coordinator

Jeannine Ahern, Finance and Administration Specialist

Rob LeBlanc, First Year Experience Librarian

Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library. She is traveling home to Ohio for the holidays.