Image courtesy of the Villanova University Digital Library. 1968 Belle Air Yearbook (page 5).

This week’s “Throwback Thursday” (TBT) features the construction of the Falvey Memorial Library expansion project that began in the spring of 1968. Librarian Rev. Louis A. Rongione, OSA, Ped.D., oversaw the library expansion. The snapshot was featured in the 1968 Belle Air Yearbook (page 5).

For more images visit the Villanova University Digital Library.

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

By Ethan Shea

Photo of renovations being made to Falvey Memorial Library from the 1968 Edition of Belle Air

In 1963, Falvey Memorial Library was renamed and dedicated to the Rev. Daniel P. Falvey, OSA, a man who devoted much of his life to bettering what was then known as Villanova College Library. More than half a century later, this image of Falvey’s renovation in 1968 reminds us of the constant improvements being made to our campus and everyone who makes these changes possible.

Ethan Shea is a first-year English Graduate Student at Villanova University and Graduate Assistant at Falvey Memorial Library.

Upon returning to campus this semester, Nova Nation was pleasantly surprised to see that the turnstiles in Falvey’s entrance had been removed. Some of our Access Services staff are happy to unveil the second part of the renovation – an automatic sliding door! We’re excited for you to see the Library’s new look!

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

Falvey Memorial Library’s 205 is well known for its highly functional space, which can host as many as 60 people in lecture or group meeting configurations. It allows for highly flexible presentations, with two white boards and a large monitor, as well as a podium with HDMI and VGA inputs.

This summer the multi-purpose room received new mother-of-pearl paint on the walls and a striking laminate flooring. The refresh of 205 was only just complete when it welcomed a week-long orientation event ahead of our students return.

If it’s possible, 205 might be an even more popular events space this upcoming academic year!

Shawn Proctor, MFA, is communications and marketing program manager at Falvey Memorial Library.

Anne Stankiewicz ’19 struggles with the turnstiles at Falvey’s entrance.

Just imagine, you’re in a rush to print off a paper for your next class (that starts in nine minutes), so you dash to Falvey Memorial Library, a heavy book bag strewn across your back, Holy Grounds coffee in one hand and a stack of papers in the other.

Approaching the turnstiles your stomach drops as you realize your Wildcard is nowhere in sight. You drop everything and frantically search, all the while blocking the Library entrance in the process.

After minutes of foraging, and a flurry of agitated students squeezing by, you find your Wildcard. But after scanning your Wildcard and you’re met with resistance: You’ve scanned the wrong turnstile!

ACK!

Finally, you enter the library…only to remember you forgot your coffee. Turning back around to retrieve your caffeinated beverage, you are shocked to realize that the guest entrance gate, adjacent to the turnstiles, was open the entire time!

Villanova students don’t have to imagine; this is a reality that many have encountered when trying to access the library. After today, however, the turnstiles will no longer stand between you and everything Falvey has to offer.

Stay tuned for more updates…and a party to celebrate the Library’s new welcoming look.

Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library, and this story may or may not have happened to her in real life. 

We had big “boots” to fill in Falvey West, and fill them we did. After we moved the journals in 2010, we had the shelving space thoroughly scrubbed and freshly painted. Still, some folks had trouble finding their way to Falvey West, so we mounted large signs on the Falvey first floor. As you enter the Library, head north (straight); then turn left (west) before you reach the Griffin room.

Falvey West (ground – 2nd floor) contains main stacks books with call numbers A – D. All other main stacks books are on the 3rd and 4th floors of the main library building.

Directional signs have been posted on each floor of Falvey West to help pioneering patrons get around. We’ve also added a computer to each floor for searching the catalog or trying our interactive map. Still have questions? Mosey on over to the front desk!

Graphic design by Joanne Quinn

By Luisa Cywinski

The Learning Commons in Falvey was officially dedicated on Feb. 17 when library and University planners, architects, designers, faculty, staff, students and visitors gathered to celebrate the new home of the Falvey Research Center, Learning Support Services (LSS), the Math Learning Resource Center (MLRC), and the  Writing Center.

Upon his arrival, University President, the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ’75 A&S, toured the Learning Commons, greeting each center’s director and asking about the new student lounge space, event rooms and special collections. Distinguished guests, including academic deans and administrators, were invited to the event. There were also lively reunions between current and former library staff, some of whom had retired or moved away.

Joe Lucia, University Librarian

University Librarian Joe Lucia opened the ceremony by expressing his pleasure at welcoming guests to celebrate the “realization of our dream.” The Rev. Dennis Gallagher, OSA, PhD, offered a blessing and prayer for our “academic community and all who will use this transformed space.” The Rev. Kail Ellis, OSA, PhD, complimented the aesthetics and remarked on the ease of access to offices in the commons.

Recounting the long process of inspiration that led to the learning commons project, Father Donohue remembered his first visits to the original locations of the Writing Center, the MLRC and the LSS, and described them as being in “places where no one else would want to go.” (more…)

With the exciting Falvey renovation project continuing, the 2nd floor of Falvey has morphed into the new Learning Commons. The existing facilities that remained on this floor – the Scan Lab / Slide Library and Special Collections Rare Book Room – are once again open for public access. Rare paper treasures are transformed into digital files used by scholars across the globe and researchers will once again pore over manuscripts!

Please feel free to stop and look at the grand new surroundings.

Open hours are posted for the semester!

Learning Commons lounge area

The second floor Learning Commons in Falvey Memorial Library is now home to the research-support librarians, Learning Support Services, the Math Learning Resource Center (MLRC) and the Writing Center.

The reference collection primarily resides on the second floor with only a small section remaining on the first. Main-stacks books previously shelved on the second floor can be found in the Falvey West stacks.

By Alice Bampton

Have you heard the mysterious noises emanating from the second floor? Are you wondering what the second floor will look like when the renovations are complete?

Joanne Quinn, design specialist, and Kristyna Carroll, research librarian, created and mounted a large double-sided display that can answer your questions about what is happening on the second floor.

The windows facing the first floor welcome Falvey’s new residents to the Learning Commons, which will include the Writing Center, Mathematics Learning Resource Center and Learning Support Services. There are panels with descriptions of the services offered by each area of the Learning Commons; these panels include QR codes. Use your smart phone to read the QR codes and to find out more about their services.

A floor plan shows how the second floor of Falvey Memorial Library will house the Learning Commons, presentation rooms, study areas, academic integration (librarian) offices and offices for the library director and his staff. Across the bottom of the window are photographs of the second floor under construction, linked by bright yellow caution tape.

Tentative plans for the second floor of Old Falvey include space for Library resource management, outreach and communication office space.

A cross-sectional drawing of the two buildings, Falvey Hall and Falvey Memorial Library, reveals how they could eventually be linked by an atrium. This phase of construction will be dependent on a capital campaign.

In the window facing Holy Grounds is a large Project Timeline that reflects which projects are finished, those in progress and the ones still to come. There is also a “Falvey has Big Planzz” sign and a free-standing cardboard easel showing two seated construction workers whose faces are cut out; they can be used for photo opportunities.

If you keep an eye on the timeline, it will keep you informed of the progress being made in this important renovation project. You can also get a project overview on our Renovation News webpage and by watching our news blog for updates.

Also contributing: Luisa Cywinski