February 2004 Blueprints

According to Dr. Paul Danove, one important aspect of his work could be to get the biblical scholar and theologian to dialogue with each other. Danove presented the first Falvey Memorial Library Faculty Book Talk for the spring semester on January 21. The talk took place in the Popular Reading area on the first floor of Falvey. Danove is a professor in the department of theology and religious studies and is the author of several books and journal articles.

Paul Danove (left) with University librarian Joe Lucia.

The primary source for the presentation was Danove’s book, Linguistics and Exegesis in the Gospel of Mark: Applications of a Case Frame Analysis and Lexicon (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Pr., 2001), which develops a system of linguistic analysis and provides a narrative and rhetorical analysis of these results in relation to Mark’s characterization of God.

As a preamble to his presentation, Danove indicated that Vatican Council II called on scriptural scholars and theologians to work with each other for the purpose of theological inquiry. In Danove’s opinion this is not completely happening today. His goal is to provide scriptural studies that are readily usable by theologians. Until 1968, scholars had not yet dealt with the semantics of biblical texts, but only with syntax. Through his research, Danove has developed a system to study the meaning of words and how the words might be differently interpreted. This has resulted in the production of a dictionary that offers a new way to interpret the Koine, the New Testament Greek. Within Danove’s proposed system, “The traditional syntax no longer matters.”

After he finished the first part of his presentation, Danove took questions from the audience. Because of their interest in the topic which inspired numerous questions, a lively discussion ensued. As Danove explained, the Gospel of Mark is much more complex than it appears. Presenting within itself a unified world vision, Mark offers a position on almost anything. For Danove, he is “the best storyteller,” and his Gospel contains a full, vibrant theology which “might differ from our systematic approach.”

Danove did briefly discuss his present area of research. To date he has completed four chapters of his next book, and he noted that his research is quite detailed, and, consequently, the finished product demands a great deal of time. Obviously, Danove is passionately enthusiastic for his area of study.

Danove was introduced by Joseph Lucia, University librarian and director of the Library. The Falvey Faculty Book Talk series provides a forum for faculty to share their research and publication experience.

Rev. Dennis J. Gallagher, O.S.A., Ph.D., is the University archivist and librarian co-liaison to the theology and religious studies department.

First, Business Source Premier, designed specifically for business schools and libraries, provides more than 3600 full-text scholarly publications, including more than 1050 peer-reviewed journals with titles such as the Harvard Business Review and the OECD Economic Surveys. More than 200 of the journals have PDF full text back to 1965 or the first issue published. In addition to the full text, this database provides indexing and abstracts for more than 4400 journals.

This database offers information in nearly every area of business including management, economics, finance, accounting and international business. Another segment of this database provides domestic and international company reports, including detailed SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats) reports, a business citation search and an image database. Go to the Falvey home page, and click on Databases by Title.

Second, is the long awaited Bloomberg Professional, an interactive information network that allows users to find virtually any financial information that they desire. It provides in-depth financial data for all types of securities. For instance, students can delve into products like mortgage-backed securities and find information regarding their composition. Furthermore, it gives students the ability to perform in-depth analysis such as correlation analysis, theoretical pricing models, and potential arbitrage pricing discrepancies on various financial products. Bloomberg easily facilitates the monitoring of different global financial market data and news and provides a vast array of current and historical financial statement data. Detailed information on risk analysis and financial solvency can also be found for most securities.

Bloomberg is installed on a laptop computer which students and faculty can borrow: one hour for students, and an extended three hours for faculty in order to facilitate classroom instruction. To schedule a Bloomberg session stop by the Falvey Reference desk or telephone x94273. (NOTE: This information is no longer valid as of September 1, 2006)

Third is the Market Insight database by Standard and Poor’s which provides full-text access to the S&P Industry Surveys, the Executive Compensation database, Global Reports Library (which contains full-color, online international company source documents including annual reports, annual report summaries, financials, interims and an IPO prospectus for 13,000 companies around the world), and the GICS Sub-Industry Financial Highlights report which provides recent industry-level valuation, profitability, performance and financial risk data. Market Insight is also available via the Falvey home page under Databases by Title.

Falvey Memorial Library joins Bartley, CEER and Tolentine in providing the Villanova community with wireless Internet access. Many library patrons have noticed the unusual-looking hub antennas mounted to the Library’s ceilings. Villanova students, faculty or staff members may find these wireless access points, or hot spots, in the following locations: the Reserve Room and the Holy Grounds area, throughout the first floor (including the Current Periodicals room), and above the study carrels and tables on the second, third and fourth floors (including the Kolmer group study rooms).

Members of the Villanova community who want to obtain wireless Internet capability for their personal laptop computers may complete the following steps. First, purchase a Villanova University wireless network card from the Computer Support Center (CSC) in Vasey 101. Then, configure your computer for wireless capabilities. (UNIT provides instructions at Wireless FAQs.) Interested individuals, after checking UNIT’s online resources, may also call UNIT’s help desk at ext. 97777 for more information.

For Villanova students, faculty or staff members whose laptop computers are not wireless-ready or who come to the Library without their computer, the Library has plans to purchase several laptop computers that patrons may borrow for use in the Library. Although details about borrowing periods and other procedures still need to be defined, tentatively these computers could become available next fall.

Library patrons will find that the wireless network, like the currently used hard-wired network, enables them to check e-mail and access the Web. This technology is similar to that of cordless phones, which must be used within range of their base. With wireless Internet technology, properly equipped laptop computers must be within range of wireless hub antennas, or hot spots, to access Villanova’s wireless network.

Those who have concerns about security on the wireless network will be pleased to know that Villanova University employs a state-of-the-art security system to protect its community. The system uses encryption software to scramble any data being transmitted. If an unauthorized user could intercept a signal, the data received would be unreadable and unusable. But this situation would not even occur because an additional level of protection blocks any outsiders from intercepting wireless signals. This part of the security system permits only authorized users access to Villanova’s wireless network.

So when you need a place on campus for secure, high-speed wireless Internet access, remember Falvey Library.

Falvey Library’s staff had an all-day retreat focusing on the “challenge of organizational evolution” on January 8 in the new meeting rooms in Bartley Hall. The morning sessions included three presentations. In his introductory talk, library director Joe Lucia stressed that libraries are “living entities” and that we should reposition ourselves because technology has changed the learning environment, so we need to “be in front of the curve” to meet the knowledge needs of the digital age. In the spirit of the Augustinian tradition, Falvey can enhance and facilitate the learning community for Villanova’s students and act as a catalyst for faculty research.

The second presentation, a Web lecture, dealt with “Repackaging Librarianship: Some Assembly Required,” by David Lankes, executive director of the Information Institute of Syracuse University. Lankes proposed that we as librarians need to reevaluate what we are doing in the digital age and that we should be “knowledge managers” rather than information providers. He stressed that all library staff members need to become technically savvy in order to use our selection and organizational skills more effectively. Staff members asked Lankes, who was in San Diego, some questions about reorganization.

Dr. Stephen Stumpf, dean of the College of Commerce and Finance, presented the third morning session. In his talk on transformational leadership, Stumpf presented his W³ planning tool to determine how best to serve one’s constituents. He also commented on some of Lankes’ points during his presentation.

After lunch, staff members divided into discussion groups, each with a facilitator and recorder. Among the items for discussion were the revision of our vision and mission statements, how the organization’s strengths and deficiencies aid and prevent the achievement of our vision and mission, possible reconfiguring of the library’s organization to facilitate initiative and leadership, and how well do we know what our constituents need or want. During the final wrap-up the recorders presented the highlights of their group’s discussion. Lucia also acknowledged the contributions of the IMS staff and especially David Gregorio for the design of Bartley’s Room 1010 and those similarly-wired rooms throughout the campus.

Also contributing to this issue of Blueprints: Michael Foight, Laura Hutelmyer, Jackie Mirabile, Judy Olsen, and Jackie Smith. Photography and graphics by Donna Blaszkowski and Najja Keita.

Blueprints: Falvey Library

Contents: February 2004

"From written text to theology and beyond: Linguistics, narrativity, rhetoric and theology”
Paul Danove’s Falvey Book Talk

Spring semester brings new online business resources to the Villanova community: Business Source Premier, Bloomberg Professional and Market Insight

Falvey Library provides wireless Internet access