About Falvey: Newsletter: December '98

by Lisa Stillwell

Dr. David Barrett, associate professor of political science, inaugurated Falvey Library's new series, "Faculty Book Talk at Falvey," with a lively, honest discussion of his research and publishing experiences. Barrett is the author of two books, Uncertain Warriors: Lyndon Johnson and His Vietnam Advisors and Lyndon Johnson's Vietnam Papers: A Documentary Collection, and is working on a third about Congress and the CIA.

Barrett began his talk by offering advice for anyone interested in research and publishing: have an idea that you love. "What really intrigues me?" he suggests asking oneself, as the research process is easier to bear when one does not tire of the research subject. Barrett finds Lyndon Johnson a "fascinating politician" and is "never bored" with the study of the Vietnam War, interests that sustained him through the frustrations and carried him to the triumphs of his research.

Barrett described his motivation for research in terms of the personal and the professional. Personally, he is motivated by the "thrill of the research process," and professionally, by a desire to "construct a better historical account." To do so, Barrett researches in archives and libraries all over the country.

A typical archival research experience of Dr. Barrett's consists of "spending days going through boxes of documents," of which "99% aren't what I'm looking for." What keeps him moving forward through this "tedious" process? "There's something thrilling about the prospect of finding evidence-information that hasn't seen the light of day." While this may not happen often, Barrett does occasionally encounter documents that make for "interesting reading," such as constituents' angry letters to their representatives, and personal diaries of key American political figures.

Are these documents truthful? Barrett spoke to concerns of the veracity of documents he works with by stating he "tries to read documents in their context," and does not assume everything he reads is true. For Uncertain Warriors Barrett contacted Lyndon Johnson's note-taker and inquired if any of the notes were ever altered. The response was "No," so the best Barrett could do was take the note-taker's word for it.

Once the research is completed, it's time to write. "Writing is a painful process that I don't enjoy," Barrett stated. He is often "appalled" by his first drafts, but ultimately prefers writing to the "tough decisions" involved in editing.

Next comes the manuscript submission process, which Barrett referred to as the "rocky road toward publication." University presses published both of Barrett's manuscripts, so each was subjected to a peer-review process prior to acceptance for publication.

Throughout this process he encountered a "good deal of professionalism and some shocking non-professionalism" on behalf of the anonymous scholars who reviewed his writings. He attributes the more negative responses to a "contentious bunch of scholars" who are of a different mind than Barrett on the divisive topic of the Vietnam War. "I was tempted to give up, early on, anyway, " but Barrett quickly learned that while the review process can be "emotionally difficult," one has to "believe in what you've done, and hang tough" to enjoy the satisfaction of publication.

After publication come book-reviews, which are sources of delight and disappointment. Barrett stated "I attach my ego to my books," and while it is "educational to read a critical review of your own book," it is also difficult.

Was the "painful publishing process" worth it? Well, Barrett now has a publisher offering him a contract for his next book. While Barrett prefers to not enter into such a contract, his passion and perseverance have nonetheless put him in a favorable position in the publishing world.

On December 11, Joan Ralston retires after serving Falvey Library and Villanova University for 21 years. She worked both as a reference librarian, manning the reference desk most weekday mornings, and a cataloging librarian in the Technical Services department where she oversaw video cataloging and worked with the Systems department on electronic database issues. She also served as the library's liaison with the College of Nursing.

Professionally, Joan was active in the North American Serials Interest Group, the American Library Association, the Association of College and Research Libraries, Delaware Valley Chapter, and the Tri-County Library Consortium.

Prior to Villanova, Joan taught English and worked as a librarian at Shady Grove Junior High School in Ambler, Pennsylvania, utilizing her undergraduate degrees in library science and English. She also taught swimming to students of all ages.

In 1977 she began working part-time in Falvey's technical services department, initially cataloging microforms and theses. When she began working full-time, her new responsibilities included both reference and cataloging. During her tenure, Joan was involved with replacing the card catalog with the first automated system, and with replacing that system with FLASH, testing those systems and cleaning errors from the databases. She participated in VQI and notes that she is impressed with how VQI includes the entire university and encourages people to think collectively.

Both Falvey Library and Villanova have undergone drastic changes since Joan began working here. The shifts from the card catalog to the first automated system to FLASH profoundly altered not only how a patron would find materials, but how those materials are processed in the first place. Prior to Falvey implementing the electronic cataloging database, staff had to manually type orders and card catalog cards, a grueling process.

The Falvey Library staff will remember her gift for understanding, her professionalism, and her cheery disposition. "She's always pleasant--always willing to help--always willing to lend her expertise," comments Mary Heyman, who has worked closely with Joan on cataloging projects.

They also recall her talent for combining humor and unflappability. In the reference department, one encounters a variety of statistical questions from library patrons. On one memorable occasion, a student approached Joan at the reference desk and asked how many virgins there were in the United States. Without batting an eye, Joan responded, "Not enough."

Joan leaves Villanova with many fond memories, including the excitement surrounding the men's basketball team's march to the NCAA championship in 1985. She has enjoyed her work, Falvey Library's atmosphere, and most of all, her co-workers.

Falvey librarians Barbara Bores and Dennis Lambert presented a talk entitled "Tailoring Approval Plans to Meet the Needs of Medium and Small-Sized Libraries" at the annual conference of the Pennsylvania Library Association in Hershey on November 10. Their talk was part of the program "Alternative Acquisitions: Cooperative Purchasing and Approval Plans." Barbara is the Acquisitions Librarian at Falvey Memorial Library; Dennis is the Head of Collection Development and Management.

Barbara and Dennis asserted the value of an approval plan in speeding up the delivery of books to library users. Books are received soon after publication, faster than they could be selected, ordered, and received using more conventional order methods. Falvey's primary approval plan for North American imprints is with Blackwell's Book Services. Approval books, which are shipped from Blackwell's warehouse in Blackwood, New Jersey, are on review for almost three weeks. Villanova faculty are invited to review them during that time interval and indicate whether to keep or not, with convenient "YES" and "NO" flags.

Barbara reviewed how her section has revised its work flow to accommodate the switch to an approval plan. The acquisitions staff still do conventional, one-time orders, but these are fewer in number. The approval plan, together with the improved Voyager integrated library system, has sped up book processing in the Technical Services department.

Dennis suggested to the audience that medium-sized libraries like Falvey, and even smaller libraries, can take advantage of the convenience, speed, and discounts offered by an approval plan.

In addition to the Blackwell's approval plan, Falvey Library has small approval plans in German philosophy, French philosophy, and Irish studies, with vendors Harrassowitz, Aux Amateurs de Livres, and Kennys Bookshop, respectively.

A world renowned geneticist who is a dwarf and also the descendant of Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics? This is Benedict Lambert, the unusual protagonist of British author Simon Mawer's recent novel, Mendel's Dwarf, who incidentally also "wins" Villanova University's prestigious Mendel Medal as part of the plot.

Reinforcing the Villanova connection, Mawer himself will be the second speaker in Falvey Library's Distinguished Lecture Series for 1998/99. Jointly sponsored by Falvey and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, his talk will take place Monday, January 25 at 7:00 p.m. on the second floor of Falvey Memorial Library.

Although British, Simon Mawer lives and teaches in Rome. He was educated at Oxford University and graduated with a degree in biology. He has published several books. Chimera, his first, published in 1989, won national recognition, including the 1990 McKitterick Prize.

Even though Mendel's Dwarf is fiction, interspersed throughout the novel are references to actual scientific papers on chromosomal research.

Published last spring, Mendel's Dwarf has received excellent reviews. Francine Post in the New York Times Book Review notes that "Mendel's Dwarf is an odd and affecting literary experiment that keeps pushing itself and its readers to think harder, go deeper. Simon Mawer writes beautifully, and the pleasure of his novel comes from the chance to watch him consider the mystery of the world, to report on the clarity with which nature speaks to us" (Post 13).

Melvin Jules Bukiet, in the Philadelphia Inquirer, states that "Mendel's Dwarf turns ... into a remarkable meditation on the line where inheritance gives way to choice. We are both what we're given and what we make of it. Religion, history, science, and the ineffable character of creation all spin through Mawer's double helix of a plot in a way that, though highly intellectual and often academic, is never didactic" (Bukiet Q1).

Copies of Mendel's Dwarf are available in the library for circulation.

Post, Francine."Get Out the Chromosomal Map." New York Times Book Review 22 Mar. 1998: 13.
Bukiet, Melvin Jules. "Fiction of Dwarf and Genetic Dilemmas." Philadelphia Inquirer 1 Mar 1998: Q1