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Falvey Library Acquires Senatorial Papers of Former Pennsylvania Senator Patrick J. Toomey

Villanova University’s Falvey Library has acquired the senatorial papers of Patrick J. Toomey, who served as US Senator from Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2023. The collection includes extensive electronic records and media, as well as papers from Toomey’s service as a member of the House of Representatives for the 15th District of Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2005, campaign materials and social media archives. It will be housed as part of Falvey Library’s Distinctive Collections, making this important research collection publicly accessible. Information about when the collection will be viewable by the public is forthcoming.

“We are honored that Senator Toomey has selected Villanova University to house this notable collection,” said University Provost Patrick G. Maggitti. “Falvey Library is an academic hub for learning and discovery, including an exceptional collection of distinctive materials and artifacts. The addition of Senator Toomey’s papers will allow the global community of scholars critical access to these important historical documents.”

“It was an honor to serve as a US Senator representing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” noted Senator Toomey. “The materials from my time serving the Keystone State belong to Pennsylvanians. Villanova University diligently worked with me during my final years in office to create this archive for educational and historical purposes. It’s an honor that such a revered and respected academic institution is doing this work. Thank you to Villanova University and its staff for their tremendous efforts.”

Falvey Library possesses significant collections of rare, distinctive materials, organized into three categories: Special Collections, University Archives and Digital Library—a public access portal to digital content. The Library actively works to identify and acquire materials to complement its existing ones and promotes open access to these collections for global scholarly and research inquiries. The papers of Senator Toomey provide Falvey Library with yet another important collection.

“This significant donation of materials from Senator Toomey provides the Villanova University community and indeed the broader community with an important research collection that offers a rich source of information for the study of national and regional issues, political science, public policy and local and state history,” said Michael Foight, director of Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement at Falvey Library. “Having served on the Banking, Budget and Finance committees, Senator Toomey played a significant role in the oversight, regulation and legislation related to the national economy and the financial sector. His donation provides primary sources for the study of legislative functions related to these critical areas.”

The new collection of materials from Senator Toomey is complementary to other collections held by Villanova’s Falvey Library, including the papers of US Representative Richard T. Schulze, who served in Congress from 1975 to 1993 from Pennsylvania’s District 5. Additionally, Distinctive Collections maintains the personal paper collection of Lawrence M. O’Rourke, a reporter with the Philadelphia Bulletin who served as the newspaper’s Washington bureau chief until it closed in 1980. O’Rourke served in President Jimmy Carter’s newly created Department of Education and was later White House correspondent and columnist for the St. Louis Dispatch and other newspapers. As a journalist, he covered the Watergate scandal and other significant national and international stories.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University’s six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation’s top universities, Villanova supports its students’ intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.


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Last Modified: January 26, 2023

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