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.”

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.

Laurie Ortiz Rivera, Social Science Librarian.

“Librarians want to help students, professors, and researchers. Our profession is service oriented. All questions are necessary, not asking or talking about your questions is the obstacle to resolve.”

Laurie Ortiz Rivera recently joined Research Services and Scholarly Engagement (RSSE) as the Social Science 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.” Ortiz Rivera’s first day as Social Sciences Librarian was Monday, July 25. She is the Social Science Liaison Librarian for History, Art History, Education, and Counseling. “My academic background and academic librarian experience provide me with the competencies to work with different disciplines in social sciences and humanities,” says Ortiz Rivera.

Ortiz Rivera was born in Puerto Rico and worked in special and academic libraries in areas such as architecture and education at the University of Puerto Rico until 2022. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Anthropology from the University of Puerto Rico, a master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Puerto Rico, a master’s degree in Management with Specialization in Management of Business (Nonprofit & Public Management) from Cambridge College, and a PhD in Documentation from Carlos III University of Madrid.

The opportunity to develop the information and research skills of academic students led Ortiz Rivera to Falvey Memorial Library. “I knew about Villanova University’s educational offerings and prestigious background, so I searched for job opportunities. Later, I received a notification from one of my job lists, and I discovered the Social Sciences Liaison Librarian position at Falvey Memorial Library. The opportunity fits with my background and my interests.”

She feels her academic librarian experience will help inform her new role. “As a member of the Library’s social sciences team, I participate in a collaborative model of general research support. Among others, I create instructional materials to secure information access for in-person and distance learners in my areas of specialization. I work with a fantastic library team in reference services. We work together to have an interface with stakeholders inside and outside the library to build essential relationships and establish a foundation for successful research support, collection development, and information literacy instruction.”

Ortiz Rivera is looking forward to collaborating with the Villanova University community. “The Social Sciences Liaison Librarian contributes to the development and delivery of strategic, high-quality, virtual and in-person services to advance teaching, learning, research, and scholarship. My work is outreach, information literacy instruction, research support, and collection development in history, art history, education, and counseling. As a subject specialist, I meet with students and faculty to assist them with: Research consultations, information literacy instructions, instructional resources, collection development, library databases, search queries or keyword selection, finding cited sources, citing sources following Chicago style and APA style, literature reviews, locating primary sources, locating secondary sources, and interlibrary loans.”

In her free time, Ortiz Rivera enjoys learning about different cultures. “I like watching international movies based on historical events and documentaries, especially Latin America and the Caribbean. I love to travel and make friends.” She recommends Research within the Disciplines: Foundations for Reference and Library Instruction by Peggy Keeran and others for graduate students looking to add another book to their summer reading list.

Be sure to stop by the Library and say hello! Ortiz Rivera is also meeting students on Zoom. Her office is located in the Learning Commons on the second floor of Falvey Memorial Library in room 229. Telephone: 610-519-3907. Email: laurie.ortizrivera@villanova.edu. To schedule an appointment with Ortiz Rivera, visit her webpage.

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

Nicole Daly, Social Science Librarian.

Nicole Daly joins Research Services and Scholarly Engagement as the Social Science Librarian. Research Services and Scholarly Engagement 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.” You may have seen Daly at Falvey’s front desk; she joined the Library staff in 2021, working as the Service Desk Coordinator in Access Services.

Daly earned a BA in Psychology from Arcadia University, a MS in Psychology from Villanova University, and will complete her MLIS degree from San José State University this fall. She also earned an advanced certificate in Digital Assets with a focus in Data Analytics and Data Driven Decision Making from San José State University.

Daly’s first day as Social Science Librarian was Monday, July 11. She is liaison to the communication department, sociology and criminology department, and the College of Professional Studies. “Right now I’m working on collection development for those specific areas; anticipating their needs, making sure they are getting the resources they need from the Library,” said Daly. “When we get into the semester, I’ll be teaching information literacy courses, helping students to develop research skills. I’ll be creating subject guides so patrons can easily find resources, and I will be providing research assistance to those that may need help tracking down resources.”

Collaborating with the Villanova community is an essential part of Daly’s role. “All of it is very interconnected: As I build these relationships with students and faculty, I feel like those relationships will inform what is needed from the Library as far as collections.” Listening to various groups on campus will also assist Daly in ensuring Falvey’s collection reflects all voices. “Learning from the Villanova community, I will work to broaden Falvey’s collection; creating awareness and providing students with the information they need to expand their own knowledge and continue advocating for social change. Building an understanding of the current collection is essential moving forward; understanding if I need to provide context for specific content or edit material to reflect current language or provide content warnings. Thinking ahead but also addressing current material will be an important part of my role as liaison librarian.”

Transitioning from Service Desk Coordinator to Social Science Librarian, Daly feels her experience working in Access Services will help inform her new role. “In Access Services, we are the first to welcome Library patrons. Working with people and physically seeing and speaking with them, those experiences will inform how I approach my new role.” Working together with Falvey’s librarians, Daly was able to see what questions were frequently asked by community members when working at the front desk. She also worked in course reserves, assisting faculty and helping to send requests to Falvey’s librarians to see what items were needed for a particular course. “I’ve learned so much working in Access Services, specifically all of the different pieces (Interlibrary loan, course reserves, etc.) that people sometimes miss because they tend to be more behind the scenes. Having a vast knowledge of the innerworkings of an academic library is a valuable resource.”

A graduate of Villanova University, Daly wants students to know that Falvey librarians are here to help! “As someone who has gone to Villanova and lived that experience I remember thinking “Oh gosh, how do I conduct this research project?” She fondly remembers Falvey librarians coming to her undergraduate classes to provide helpful outreach. “We had wonderful librarians that came to our classes and gave very targeted help for specific projects. It was very enlightening, just showing us that they are available.” Acknowledging that the first year of college can be a challenge, Daly encourages students to reach out to her. “I can do so much more than just find a book. I can help students narrow down resources, determine which resources are valid, and find resources that may be unavailable at Falvey Memorial Library. I can help in so many different ways.”

If you happen to miss Daly at the many orientation fairs this fall, stop by the Library and say hello. She is also meeting students on Zoom. Daly’s office is located in the Learning Commons on the second floor of Falvey Memorial Library in room 225.

Telephone: 610-519-5207. 

Email: nicole.daly@villanova.edu.

For more on Daly, check out her “Welcome to Falvey” blog here. Visit her webpage here.

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

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.

By Kallie Stahl

Sarah Wipperman recently joined Research Services and Scholarly Engagement 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.

“Scholarly communication encompasses the various ways in which scholarship is created and disseminated, thinking about how the various ecosystems of publishing, libraries, and academia fit together,” Wipperman explains. “My role is to assist individuals in navigating those complex systems and ensure they are protecting their rights when sharing their work.”

Earning a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from New York University and a Master of Law from the University of Pennsylvania, Wipperman has developed expertise across multiple disciplines.

“As scholarly communication librarian, I am a liaison to everyone. My academic background has provided me the opportunity to work with different populations and understand how the field varies for each discipline and how to best address those differences.”

While working as the Scholarly Communications and Digital Repository Librarian at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Wipperman helped grow the current institutional repository, making it a more service-based offering and adding non-traditional publications, such as videos, podcasts, and 3D models.

She also assisted in building an open access policy at Penn, specifically partnering with the Wharton School, where she worked with faculty to make over 13,000 publications available for open access. Helping to expand digital scholarship at Villanova, focusing on infrastructure and developing publishing programs and current open journal systems is what interested Wipperman in joining Falvey Memorial Library.

“Villanova is sitting on an interesting precipice having gained a new research classification. To come and work with scholars to help build a new program that will propel Falvey into the future felt like such a great opportunity,” she says.

Wipperman is excited to work alongside the campus community and encourages faculty and students to reach out about ongoing and future scholarship. “My expertise lies in copyright and publishing. I can assist scholars with copyright support, any questions from ‘can I use this in the classroom?’ to ‘I created something, and I want to tell the public how they can use it.'”

She also assists with author rights and contract negotiation. “I can help scholars develop their publishing criteria and determine how they can make their research more visible and available to those that may not have access to scholarship. For anyone that would like assistance, I will read through author contracts and discuss potential pain points to help ensure scholars are getting and keeping the rights to their work.”

In her free time, Wipperman enjoys reading, video games, puzzles, board games, escape rooms, and brain teasers. She’s currently working on a cross-stitch of Johannes Vermeer’s painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. Wipperman is trained as a classical pianist and plays the tenor saxophone.

“I’m really open to meeting people and getting to know the community here. I want to know what your needs are, where your scholarship is going: things we encounter everyday,” she explains.

Wipperman’s office is located in the Learning Commons on the second floor of Falvey Memorial Library in room 233.

Telephone: 610-519-85075.

Email: sarah.wipperman@villanova.edu.

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