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.

By Anna Jankowski, Ethan Shea, and Annie Stockmal

Happy Thursday, Wildcats! This installment of the Curious Cat is especially important because it’s National Library Week! To celebrate the occasion, we asked some Falvey patrons why they love the Library. Keep reading to see the responses we received, and be sure to watch the accompanying Reel on Instagram!

“I love old book stacks. I just love walking into random parts of the Library and sifting through old books that smell old. It’s really weird, but there’s so many little things you can find that are so interesting.”

— Satrant Bains ’25

“I’d say overall it’s just the atmosphere. I usually like to come and just sit and do some work.”

— Aliana Rojas ’25

“My favorite part of the Library is the Reading Room. I just really like how it’s always bright in there, and I work best in the quiet.”

— Maddie McClay ’23

“I like Holy Grounds because I feel like I need a little stimulation when I’m doing my work.”

— Ashley Mulhare ’23

“I like coming and people watching and doing work.”

— Christian Badalamenti ’24

“I’d say my favorite part is this room in particular [Falvey 205].”

— Mac Clark ’24

“My favorite part of the Library is the Reading Room with all of its windows. Sometimes I can watch the sunset there.”

— Julia Barclay ’25

“I agree with the Reading Room, and to elaborate on that, I like the peace and quiet.”

— Peter McSherey ’25

Anna Jankowski ’23 CLAS is a Senior Communication Major from just outside Baltimore who ​​works as a Communication & Marketing Assistant in Falvey.

Ethan Shea is a second-year graduate student in the English Department and Graduate Assistant at Falvey Library.

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

We’re officially halfway through National Library Week! There’s something about libraries that sticks with you throughout life, whether it’s memories of getting your first ever library card or late nights spent writing papers and studying for exams. For this week’s Cat in the Stax I’m going to reminisce on some of my favorite library memories and factors that make a great library.

My first library card was from the Mercer County Library, and I remember practicing writing my name over and over again because my mom said once I could write my own name, I could get my library card. Despite having not been there in over 10 years, I can still distinctly remember where everything is located. Every summer they would always have different events for elementary students that promoted reading and learning. One factor that makes a great library is the variety of programming and events that they have available, whether in-person or virtual!

During my undergraduate years, I spent quite a bit of time at the University of Delaware’s Morris Library. My four years there included many late night study sessions and trying to snag the best study spots between classes. Another mark of a quality library is definitely study spots and study rooms. My roommate and I would always meet up in our pre-booked study room after classes to study before heading back to our apartment!

Maybe I’m a little biased, but my favorite library right now is definitely Falvey! Beyond the extensive programming and study spots, Falvey also has an amazing group of staff and librarians that are always willing to help with papers and research projects. Plus, having Holy Grounds there to get a mid-study caffeine fix has become a deal-breaker for me as far as study spots go. Make sure to head over to Falvey sometime this week to celebrate National Library Week and let us know what you think makes a great library on social media or in the comments!

Jenna Newman is a graduate assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a graduate student in the Communication Department.

Happy National Library Week! Though the Falvey building remains closed, Falvey librarians and staff continue to assist the campus community virtually; ensuring continued collection access for electronic articles and e-books through Interlibrary Loan, coordinating live chat meetings with students and faculty, and expanding online resources for additional scholarship. 

Celebrate libraries and share your Falvey favorites using the GIF challenge below. Tag us on social (@villanovalibrary on Instagram) and we’ll share your favorites on our page! Challenge a fellow Wildcat and you’ll be entered to win a free Falvey Library long sleeve t-shirt. We miss you Nova Nation—share your memories with us for National Library Week (ends April 25 at 11:59 p.m.) Winner will be chosen Monday, April 26 at noon!

How to complete the GIF challenge:

1. Screenshot the template above and save to your camera roll.

2. Add the template to your Instagram story.

3. Select and size your GIFs using Instagram story.

4. Mention @villanovalibary in your Instagram story and share!

Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library. GIF challenge created by Joanne Quinn, Director of Communication and Marketing.