By Jenna Renaud

Word of the Week: Nudiustertian  

(adj) of or relating to the day before yesterday 

Maybe you’re thinking to yourself “Why wouldn’t I just say the day before yesterday or the name of the day?” And that’s a valid point. But if you want to impress your friends and family with your extensive vocabulary, throw nudiustertian into conversation.  

For example, “I really should have done more studying nudiustertian morning for my upcoming finals.”  

This Week at Falvey  

NOW–Wednesday, June 15 

“That Fairyland of Ice”: Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory Exhibit | Falvey First Floor & Virtual | Free & Open to the Public 

Monday, April 25 

Russia’s War on Ukraine: Historical Turning Points | 6–7 p.m. | Virtual | Register Here 

Wednesday, April 27   

2022 Falvey Forum Workshop Series: Bringing Historical Maps into GIS | 12–1 p.m. | Virtual | Register Here 

Thursday, April 28

Alfred F. Mannella and Rose T. Lauria-Mannella Endowed Distinguished Speak Series Lecture Featuring Poet Maria Famà | 2:30–3:45 p.m. | Register Here 

Friday, April 29

Falvey Library’s Semi-Annual Stress Busting Open House: Make Finals a Grand Slam | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | Free & Open to all Villanova Students 

This Week in History 

April 29th, 2004– World War II monument opens in Washington D.C. 

18 years ago today the World War II monument opened in Washington D.C. providing recognition of the 16 million U.S. men and women who served in the war.  

The monument was formally dedicated by US President George W. Bush, although the memorial was inspired decades earlier by veteran Roger Durbin. Durbin served under Gen. George S. Patton and in February 1987 he asked US Rep Marcy Kaptur why there was no memorial on the National Mall to honor World War II veterans. Kaptur then introduced legislation to build one, initiating the 17-year journey until it opened.  

The World War II monument is my favorite memorial in Washington D.C. In high school, I spent part of one summer exploring Washington D.C. and taking a writing seminar. As part of the seminar, we had to choose a monument to visit, reflect on, and then write about. I have always taken an interest in World War II, in part due to my Jewish heritage and the atrocities my Great Aunt lived through as a young girl in Romania during the Holocaust. When it came time to choose a monument, I was immediately drawn to the World War II monument.  

What has always struck me about the World War II monument is all the symbolism and how each detail and piece represented something about the war and the many lives lost. From representing the war in Europe to the war in the Pacific to the hundreds of thousands of American lives lost, the monument produces a sobering effect. Read this article from the National Park Service talking about the various aspects of the monument to learn more. 

Read more about the monument’s opening from History.com. 

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

By Jenna Renaud

Word of the Week: Type II Fun 

Maybe you’re thinking, “I know what fun is,” but did you know that there are different types of fun?  

Type II fun usually feels terrible while you’re doing it, like climbing up a mountain in the freezing cold, running an ultra-marathon, or standing in line at Disney World in the blazing sun, but when it’s over, your memory erases the miserable parts, and you would do it again for fun.  

This is all based on the “fun scale,” typically used by outdoor enthusiasts. You can read more about it in this article from REI. But in summary the other types of fun are: 

Type I Fun – Enjoyable when it’s happening. Simply fun. Eating good food with good friends. Celebrating birthdays or holidays with family. Movie nights.  

Type III Fun – Not actually fun at all. While you’re doing it or in retrospect. Maybe you’re waiting for the Type II fun effect to hit, but it never does. 

For many people, Type II fun is the sweet spot. It’s challenging but isn’t actually putting your life at risk. With finals right around the corner, consider planning some Type II adventures for this summer. 

This Week at Falvey  

NOW–Wednesday, Jun. 15th  

“That Fairyland of Ice”: Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory Exhibit | Falvey First Floor & Virtual | Free & Open to the Public 

Tuesday, April 19th  

Polar Voyaging and the Humanities | 4–5 p.m. | Virtual | https://villanova.zoom.us/j/98337578849 

Wednesday, April 20th   

2022 Falvey Forum Workshop Series: Capturing the Web – Introduction to Web Archiving | 12–1 p.m. | Virtual | Register Here 

“The Politics of the Irish Harp Symbol from Henry VIII to Brexit” Lecture & Harp Performance with Mary Louise O’Donnell | 4 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Learn More Here 

Thursday, April 21st 

2022 Literary Festival: Tiphanie Yanique | 7–8:30 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public | Find more info here 

Friday, April 22nd  

Villanova Gaming Society Meeting | 2:30–4:30 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public 

2022 Falvey Scholars Virtual Research Presentation and Awards Ceremony | 10 a.m. | Virtual | Register Here 

2022 Concept Virtual Recognition Ceremony | 1–2 p.m. | Virtual | Register Here 

This Week in History 

April 22nd, 1970 – First Earth Day was celebrated 

Earth Day is an annual event used to demonstrate support for environmental protection and bring awareness to a wide range of environmental issues. 2022 marks the 52nd celebration of the holiday.  

Earth Day was started by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, an environmentalist who wanted to increase awareness and provide unity to the environmental movement. “The objective was to get a nationwide demonstration of concern for the environment so large that it would shake the political establishment out of its lethargy,” Senator Nelson said, “and, finally, force this issue permanently onto the national political agenda.” 

Earth Day has contributed to the passage of the Clean Water and Endangered Species Act. Each year the holiday is recognized by 192 different countries. 

Read more from History.com. 

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

By Jenna Renaud

Word of the Week: Cwtch (pronounced “kutch”) 

(n) cuddle or hug; cubbyhole or cupboard, small place to store things safely 

The Welsh word has no literal English definition; however, when you combine the two definitions above you end up with a better sense of what the word actually means: wrapping your arms around someone to make them feel safe in the world. 

Cwtch goes beyond just a hug you give out but is reserved for special people and times where the action represents more than a hug. Think when your friend just went through a rough break-up. Think when you’re finally at home and seeing your family after a rough semester. Think seeing someone you care so much about after a long time apart.  

Be intentional this week with the Easter break and cwtch someone you care about this week.  

Shoutout to my other amazing GA Ethan Shea for the “Word of the Week” this week! If you have a word recommendation, drop a comment on this post.  

Learn more about cwtch and why it was named Wales’ best-loved word in 2007 here. 

This Week at Falvey  

NOW–Wednesday, Jun. 15th  

“That Fairyland of Ice”: Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory Exhibit | Falvey First Floor & Virtual | Free & Open to the Public 

Monday, April 11th  

Mindfulness Mondays | 1–1:30 p.m. | Virtual | https://villanova.zoom.us/j/98337578849 

This Week in History 

April 15th, 1947 – Jackie Robinson breaks color barrier 

On April 15th, 1947 Jackie Robinson stepped onto the Ebbets Field in Brooklyn as part of the Brooklyn Dodgers team, becoming the first Black person to play in Major League Baseball. Prior to Robinson playing, baseball had been segregated for more than 50 years.  

His first year in the League, Robinson was named Rookie of the Year and two years later, in 1949, was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player and league batting champ. Throughout his baseball career he led the Dodgers to six National League pennants and one World Series, in 1955. 

Despite breaking the racial barrier in this way, Robinson still experience significant racial discrimination throughout his career, not being allowed to stay in the same hotels or eat in the same restaurants as his teammates as they traveled throughout the country.  

In 1957 Robinson retired from baseball and became a businessman and civil rights activist. 50 years later to the day, the MLB retired Robinsons number, 42. This was the first time a number was retired by all teams in the league. 

Read more from History.com. 

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

By Jenna Renaud

Word of the Week: Abibliophobia 

(n) Someone who is afraid of running out of things to read 

I’ve definitely experienced this fear before, especially when getting ready to travel. I’ve always been anti-Kindle and pro-physical books, which has occasionally made it difficult to gauge how many books I need to bring with me when traveling, especially for long flights.  

The good thing about being on campus though is that there’s never a shortage of books in the Falvey collection. Stop in to pick up your next book before your abibliophobia kicks in.  

This Week at Falvey  

NOW–Wednesday, June 15

“That Fairyland of Ice:” Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory Exhibit | Falvey First Floor & Virtual | Free & Open to the Public 

Monday, April 4

Mindfulness Mondays | 1–1:30 p.m. | Virtual | https://villanova.zoom.us/j/98337578849 

Monday, April 4

Conversation with the 2022 Charles A. Heimbold, Jr. Chair, Emma Dabiri| 6–8 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner| Free & Open to the Public | Find more info here 

Wednesday, April 6  

2022 Falvey Forum Workshop Series: Getting Started with Building Digital Exhibits in Omeka | 12–1 p.m. | Virtual | Register Here 

Friday, April 8

Villanova Gaming Society Meeting | 2:30–4:30 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public 

This Week in History 

April 4th, 1968 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated 

Just after 6 p.m. on April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was fatally shot standing on his second-story balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. King, age 39, was in Memphis to support a sanitation workers’ strike and was on his way to dinner when he was shot. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. 

The day before, on April 3, King gave his last sermon in Memphis, saying, “We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop … And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.”

Today, movements such as Black Lives Matter continue to highlight racism, discrimination, and inequality experienced by Black people. 

The assassination was traced back to escaped convict James Earl Ray. Ray was arrested after being found in a London airport in early June. He was then sentenced to 99 years in prison.

Read more from History.com. 

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

By Jenna Renaud

Word of the Week: Offensive efficiency 

Villanova is in the Final Four, so we’re back with more basketball terminology this week. Offensive efficiency is the number of points scored per 100 offensive possessions. Currently, according to the popular KenPom Ratings, Villanova has a top-10 offense, despite relying heavily on defense in this past weekend’s win against Houston.  

Fingers crossed for another big win this Saturday against the Kansas Jayhawks! If we secure the win, I will be back again next week with more basketball vocabulary as we move into the finals. 

This Week at Falvey  

NOW–Wednesday, Jun. 15th  

“That Fairyland of Ice”: Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory Exhibit | Falvey First Floor & Virtual | Free & Open to the Public 

Monday, March 28th   

2021 Outstanding Faculty Research Award Lecture Featuring Christopher Kilby, PhD, and Samantha K. Chapman, PhD | 1–3 p.m. | Room 205 | Free & Open to the Public | Find more info here 

Tuesday, March 29th   

2022 Literary Festival Schedule: Camille Dungy | 7–8:30 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public | Find more info here 

Wednesday, March 30th   

2022 Falvey Forum Workshop Series: Photo Management with Tropy for Archival Research | 12–1 p.m. | Virtual | Register Here 

Thursday, March 31st   

Spring 2022 Digital Seeds Lecture: David R. Ambaras, PhD, and Kate McDonald, PhD on “Bodies and Structures 2.0: Scalar and the Practice of Digital Spatial History | 4 p.m. | Virtual | Register Here 

Friday, April 1st   

Villanova Gaming Society Meeting | 2:30–4:30 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public 

This Week in History 

March 31st, 1889 – Eiffel Tower opens  

For this week’s “This Week in History” we’re traveling across the Atlantic Ocean over to Europe, specifically, Paris, France. On March 31st, 1889, the Eiffel Tower is dedicated in Paris. Gustave Eiffel, the tower’s designer, French Prime Minister Pierre Tirard, various other dignitaries, and over 200 construction workers were in attendance.  

The Eiffel Tower is 984 feet tall and boasts an iron framework supported on four masonry piers, from which rise four columns that unite to create a single vertical tower. There are observation decks on each of the three levels.  

Despite now being regarded as an architectural masterpiece, the project was originally met with some resistance, in part due to concerns it would be structurally unsound. At the time, it was the largest man-made structure in the world, a title it held until the New York Crysler building was completed in 1930.  

Read more from History.com. 

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

Word of the Week: Vernal Equinox (also known as: Spring Equinox, March Equinox) 

Yesterday marked the official first day of Spring! Each year spring is marked by the vernal equinox, which falls around March 20 or 21 and is when the Sun crosses the celestial equator going north. 

Equinoxes occur when the axis of rotation of the earth is exactly parallel to the direction of motion of the earth around the sun. Day and night are about the same length on this day, hence the name “equinox.” The name is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night). 

Now that we’ve passed the vernal equinox, be prepared for earlier sunrises, later sunsets, softer winds, and sprouting plants—all signs that Spring is here.  

This Week at Falvey  

NOW–Wednesday, June 15

“That Fairyland of Ice”: Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory Exhibit | Falvey First Floor & Virtual | Free & Open to the Public 

Monday, March 21 

Mindfulness Mondays | 1–1:30 p.m. | Virtual | https://villanova.zoom.us/j/98337578849 

Monday, March 21 

The Interfaith Human Library: Where Books Talk and We All Learn About Life in a Multi-Faith World | 4:30–6 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Register Here 

Tuesday, March 22 

Scholarship@Villanova–Billie Murray, PhD, on Combating Hate: A Framework for Direct Action | 4–5:15 p.m. | Room 205 | Find more info here 

Wednesday, March 23

2022 Falvey Forum Workshop Series: Introduction to Digital Archives and Research | 12–1 p.m. | Virtual | Register Here 

Thursday, March 24  

Spring 2022 Digital Seeds Lecture: Matthew Bui, PhD, on “Toward Urban Data Justice: Auditing the Racial Politics of Data” | 4 p.m. | Virtual | Register Here 

Friday, March 25

Villanova Gaming Society Meeting | 2:30–4:30 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public 

This Week in History 

March 23, 1839 – “OK” enters national vernacular  

On March 23, 1839, the initials “O.K.” are first published in The Boston Morning Post, partially as a joke. It was meant as an abbreviation for “oll korrect,” a popular slang misspelling of “all correct.” However, “OK” then steadily made its way into the everyday speech of Americans. 

In the late 1830s, many younger people would misspell words intentionally, then abbreviate them and use them as slang. Some examples include “KY” for “no use” (“know yuse”) and “OW” for all right (“oll wright”).  

OK rose above the rest and made its way into common vernacular even to this day in part thanks to the Boston Morning Post. From there, its popularity continued when it was picked up by politicians at the time. 

Read more from History.com. 

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

By Jenna Renaud

Word of the Week: March Madness 

This week instead of strictly defining a word, we’re talking about the origin of the phrase March Madness in honor of the tournament kicking off!  

March Madness originated from the phrase “mad as March here”; however, it did not come from the NCAA tournament, but rather Henry Porter, an Illinois high school athletics administrator in 1939. In the 1940s, March Madness was used for Illinois state basketball tournaments, before spreading elsewhere in the Midwest region. 

40 years later in the 1980s, March Madness came to be associated with the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, an association many credit to commentator Brent Musburger. 

This Week at Falvey  

NOW–Wednesday, Jun. 15th  

“That Fairyland of Ice”: Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory Exhibit | Falvey First Floor & Virtual | Free & Open to the Public 

Monday, March 14th 

Mindfulness Mondays | 1–1:30 p.m. | Virtual | https://villanova.zoom.us/j/98337578849 

Wednesday, March 16th 

2022 Falvey Forum Workshop Series: Mastering the Labyrinth: Newspaper–Magazine Archives | 12–1 p.m. | Virtual | https://villanova.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMsfuqsrTsvG9BvwhHkwcD9LIxFsFF0yACe  

Friday, March 18th  

Villanova Gaming Society Meeting | 2:30–4:30 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public 

This Week in History 

February 15th, 44 B.C. – Assassination of Julius Caesar  

“Beware of the ides of March” 

2,066 years ago on March 15th, Julius Caesar, dictator of Rome, is stabbed to death in the Roman Senate house by 60 conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. This day then infamously came to be known as the “Ides of March.”  

Despite now being associated with a more ominous connotation, the ides of March has a tamer origin. Ides simply referred to the first new moon of a given month, with each month having its own ides, typically falling between the 13th and the 15th. The ides of March was the 74th day in the Roman calendar and traditionally associated with religious celebrations and at one point, the new year. 

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

By Jenna Renaud

Word of the Week: Assiduous  

(adj) showing great care and perseverance  

Mid-terms are upon us, and I implore everyone to be assiduous with your studies this week. A much-needed Spring break is right around the corner, we all just need to persevere and put in those extra hours studying and drafting papers to get there. I’ll be pulling quite a few late nights and early mornings this week to get everything done, so just know you are not alone. 

This Week at Falvey  

NOW–Wednesday, Jun. 15th  

“That Fairyland of Ice”: Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory Exhibit | Falvey First Floor & Online | Free & Open to the Public 

Monday, Feb. 21st  

Mindfulness Mondays | 1–1:30 p.m. | Virtual | https://villanova.zoom.us/j/98337578849  

Wednesday, Feb. 23rd

Mid-Term Event | 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. | Falvey First Floor | Stop by for some dough to get you through midterms! Cookie dough and Play-Doh are the essentials you never knew you needed to get through this mid-term season.

This Week in History 

February 22nd, 1980 – U.S. hockey team beats the Soviets in the “Miracle on Ice” 

Stay in theme with the 2022 Beijing Olympics wrapping up this past weekend, this week’s week in history flashes back to the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games. In one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympic history, the United States hockey team, made up of college students, defeated the Soviet Union team that had one the last four Olympic gold medals. 

The U.S. team, with an average player age of 22, entered the Games as the 7th-seed as opposed to the Soviet Union’s experienced team entering as 1st-seed. In front of 100,000 spectators, the U.S. pulled out a 4-3 win and then went on to defeat Finland two days later, securing the gold. This unbelievable upset and victory was later memorialized in a 2004 film, Miracle, starring Kurt Russell. Miracle is available for streaming on Disney+. To read more about this upset and how it played out, visit History.com. 

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

By Jenna Renaud

Word of the Week: Wordle 

(n) a name for an electronic image that shows words used in a particular piece of electronic text or series of texts. The words are different sizes according to how often they are used in the text. 

Before Wordle was the game that causes us to forget the English language every morning, it was the name for the word clouds that you’ve probably made at some point in your life. In addition, a wide variety of games with the same moniker have been released over the years although the trademark situation is a bit up in the air at the moment.  

Below is a wordle of the words in a blog post Ethan did about the game Wordle! Wordle-ception!  

This Week at Falvey  

NOW–Wednesday, Jun. 15th  

“That Fairyland of Ice”: Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory Exhibit / Falvey First Floor & Online / Free & Open to the Public 

Monday, Feb. 14th  

Mindfulness Mondays | 1–1:30 p.m. | Virtual | https://villanova.zoom.us/j/98337578849  

Tuesday, Feb. 15th  

The Bible in Black, Part 2 on the New Testament | 12–1 p.m. | Room 205 | More info here 

Tuesday, Feb. 15th  

Robbie Richardson, PhD, on “Death, Bones, and the Rise of the Museum in the Eighteenth Century” | 5:30 p.m. | Room 205 or Virtual| More info here 

Friday, Feb. 18th  

Villanova Gaming Society Meeting | 2:30–4:30 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public  

This Week in History 

February 14th, 270 A.D. – St. Valentine beheaded 

At the time, Rome was under the rule of Claudius II, also known as Claudius the Cruel, and was involved in many bloody campaigns. Because of the many campaigns, it was imperative that the emperor maintained a strong army; however, he struggled to recruit men. He attributed this difficulty to marriage and the strong attachment men had to their wives and families. In response to this, Claudius banned all marriages in Rome. 

Valentine, a holy priest, saw this decree as unjust and continued to perform marriages in secret. When he was found out, he was put in prison until his execution on February 14. Legend has it that right before his beheading, he wrote a letter to the jailor’s daughter signing it “Love your Valentine.” Following his death, he was made a saint. 

This is just one of the stories that potentially account for the life of St. Valentine and the origins of the holiday. To read more about the theories surrounding Valentine’s Day and St. Valentine, visit History.com.  

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.

By Jenna Renaud

Word of the Week: Hiemal  

(adj) of or related to winter; wintry  

With the heimel temperatures we have been experiencing, it does not surprise me that February is here. If your friends or family are tired of hearing you complain about how cold the weather is, up your cold-weather vocabulary and change it up on them. Here you can find a whole list of synonyms for “extremely cold.” 

This Week at Falvey  

NOW–Wednesday, Jan. 15 

“That Fairyland of Ice”: Polar Exploration in Mind and Memory Exhibit / Falvey First Floor & Online / Free & Open to the Public 

Monday, Jan. 31

Mindfulness Mondays / 1–1:30 p.m. / Virtual / https://villanova.zoom.us/j/98337578849  

Friday, Feb. 4

Villanova Gaming Society Meeting / 2:30–4:30 p.m. / Speakers’ Corner / Free & Open to the Public  

This Week in History 

Feb. 1, 1884– Oxford Dictionary debuts 

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is considered the most comprehensive and accurate dictionary of the English language, including not only present-day, common meanings, but also the histories of words included.  

In 1857 members of London’s Philological Society set out to produce an English dictionary covering all words starting during the Anglo-Saxon period (1150 A.D.). Although planned to be 6,400 pages in four volumes, the Dictionary was published under the imposing name A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles – contained over 400,000 words and phrases in ten volumes. 

In 1984, Oxford University Press began the five-year journey to electronically publish the OED. The project required the power of 170 people – 120 people to type up the pages from the print edition and another 50 people to proofread. The online dictionary has been active since 2000.  

To learn more about the development and history of the OED, read the full History.com article here. 

History.com Editors. (2009, November 24). Oxford dictionary debuts. History.com. Retrieved January 31, 2022, from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/oxford-dictionary-debuts 

Jenna Renaud is a Graduate Assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a Graduate Student in the Communication Department.