Villanova’s mail facilities are being moved as a result of the planned transformation of the Falvey Library. Kennedy Hall, the building where a majority of mail services takes place, is being torn down in order to accommodate the expansion of Villanova’s library facilities, and all students who formerly picked up their packages at Kennedy will be redirected to pick up at Falvey. 

The funds for the new and improved library were donated by Victor J. Maggitti, who gave $20 million for the project. In the press release, Maggitti said that “Villanova and the Library have always held a special place in my life, so this gift is especially meaningful to me. The Library is the heart of the academic experience and my gift is an investment in this important University priority. Villanova shaped who I am today and through this gift I hope to help impact the lives of generations of Villanovans to come.” 

The new pickup location at Falvey will operate similarly to those at St. Mary’s Hall and at Dobbin Hall. It will also have 24-hour availability. 

Bonnie Lyons, director of Central Services at Villanova, gave valuable information on the move, and how it will affect students and faculty. 

“One of our goals was to serve students in a larger capacity with a locker program,” Lyons said. “We wanted to expand that and have more availability throughout campus.

“Phase 1 [of the plan] was creating the Commons. Phase 2 was St. Mary’s. The beauty of the system is that it allows students to go to a locker, swipe their card and pick up their packages. The third phase, which we just opened, is the Falvey Student Mailroom. We placed lockers there, and will have an individual helping at the counter, as well.” 

Of course, any student would want to understand exactly why these changes are taking place. 

“We did this because the mailroom does about 217,000 packages per year, which is obviously a lot of packages,” Lyons said. “We’ve continuously been trying to give students a better way of getting deliveries and packages.

“The Kennedy building is being torn down. Bartley, Garey Hall and Kennedy, our main mailroom, will all be moving to Aldwin, on the ground floor. Kennedy will be torn down in May of 2024, and that’s going to make space for the new library. The bookstore is going to be in St. Mary’s Chapel, which I believe is scheduled for this January. However, it’s true that schedules change for these kinds of things. When you’re involved in these projects, delays happen, and there’s often snags.”

The press release stated: “One of the key initiatives of Villanova’s strategic plan is the continued transformation of its academic facilities to support the University’s position as a national research institution. Located at the heart of its campus, Falvey Library is a repository for academic scholarship and is at the core of the educational experience, encompassing learning, studying, discovery and exploration. The University’s vision for Falvey Library is to transform the facility into a dynamic hub that further enriches the academic life of the entire campus community. Villanova aims to create a highly integrated space that fosters collaboration, enhances intellectual inquiry and empowers students and faculty research and scholarships at the highest level. It will also provide engaging and accessible space for conferences, panels and other events that bring the entire University’s entire community together.”