Wilkes University. Eugene S. Farley Library

08/31/2026

The Farley Library is excited to announce that Wilkes University students and employees now have access to Libby, a free digital library of eBooks and audiobooks available to borrow on your phone, tablet or Kindle.

Through the PA Academic Libby Consortium, Wilkes users can browse a shared collection of popular fiction and nonfiction focused primarily on leisure reading. With your Wilkes email and password, you can browse the collection and borrow titles anytime, anywhere. See the flyer for instructions. Happy reading!

08/14/2026

Wilkes University Archives was deeply saddened by the passing of Wilkes 4th president, Christopher Neri Breiseth in late June. Chris' participation and support for archival initiatives and historical preservation during and after his presidency will make his presence here sorely missed. His love for this institution can be heard, read, and seen within the numerous collections we have here in the archives.

To honor his memory and legacy with the upcoming memorial tomorrow, Wilkes University Archives would like to go live with the Past President Oral History project, a collection of oral history interview transcripts that span decades of our institutional history.

The collection is arranged into three distinct series: the first series contains oral history interviews that were conducted by the late 1963 Wilkes alumna Robert Bomboy with original Wilkes administrators such as Eugene S. Farley, Board of Trustees member Admiral Harold Stark, Wilkes founder Arnaud Marts, and others. The second series contains oral history interviews conducted by President Breiseth and Betsy Bell Condron during his presidency with John Whitby, William H. Conyngham, Charles H. Miner Jr., and others. The third series contains oral history interviews starting in 2016 onward with the creation of this Past President Oral History project, conducted by Past Presidents the late Francis J. Michelini, the late Breiseth, Joseph E. Gilmour, interim President Paul Adams, late Wilkes emeritus faculty Bob Heaman and Jim Rodechko with significant members of the Wilkes community.

We invite you to explore these transcripts and learn about the rich history of our institution and honor those who participated in this project.

https://archivepublic.wilkes.edu/repositories/2/resources/97

07/21/2026

Wilkes University Archives is excited to announce that thanks to Library Technician Jeff Prescott, the Athletics File is now digitized and available online for researchers! The Athletics File consists of sports schedules, photographs, statistics, programs, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and other documents relating to sports history at Wilkes College and Wilkes University over the years. Feel free to explore the digital collection on our our Archivesspace catalog!
https://archivepublic.wilkes.edu/repositories/2/resources/39

07/13/2026

https://news.wilkes.edu/2026/07/07/students-play-integral-role-in-preserving-university-archives/

The past is becoming part of the present thanks to work being done by students working in the Wilkes University archives. University archivist Suzanna Calev and her team of work-study students are digitizing archival materials spanning Wilkes history -- a process that will allow future generations a...

06/25/2026

Farley Library welcomes President Cousins to Wilkes University with a Press Conference and a campus reception. The Library is looking forward to working with President Cousins!

06/24/2026

Wilkes University Archives has a new physical exhibit downstairs on the first floor of Farley Library, titled, "Beyond the Monument: Remembering the Battle of Wyoming 248 years later" created by Library technician Jessica Van Orden and University archivist Suzanna Calev. The exhibit features first person accounts, military correspondence, and artistic renderings of the Battle, as well as manuscripts examining the ongoing land dispute between Pennsylvania and Connecticut settlers. Come check out the display cases just in time for us to welcome Wilkes University's eighth president, James Cousins, tomorrow here at Farley Library!

06/10/2026

Some belated photographs from our End of Semester party for retiring library and IT staff members. All smiles and laughs!

05/21/2026

Last collection from the archives this semester are new additions that have been added to the Theater Department collection, thanks to Ella Villani! The collection has been updated to include new photographs, programs, books, newspapers, and other personal papers from Alfred S. Groh during his tenure.

Ella Villani is a BFA Musical Theater Major with a minor in Dance. Ella will graduate in 2027, and plans on pursuing a career in theater full-time. She has been in multiple productions here at Wilkes, most recently including the ensemble for I Love You Because and Urinetown. She is also the president of the Theater Club, which is the first time our school has had a theater club since 1970. In addition to being onstage, Ella is a writer and composer. She has had two shows in New York at The Green Room 42, which she wrote the music/lyrics/book for and also performed in. Ella is ecstatic to share this collection with you and present her findings on the collection during her time in the archives.

Feel free to check out Ella's blog post highlighting some of these additions and exploring the creative genius of a beloved Theater professor!

Wilkes University Archives is excited to announce that thanks to Ella Villani, the Theater Department collection has been updated to include new photographs, programs, books, newspapers, and other …

05/20/2026

Farley Library celebrated the retirement of Library Technicians Joan Ford (40 years), Martha Parise (21 years), and Debbie Rutkoski (27 years) at the Stegmaier mansion today. We want to thank them for their service and contributions in making the library a home for all of us over the years. They will be sorely missed!

05/20/2026

Next on the docket for public research from the archives is the Wilkes-Hahnemann Collection, processed by Michael Peterson and Jessica Van Orden! Michael, who just finished his first year at Wilkes, is a part of the Wilkes Honors Program and Barre Scholars. Michael intends to go into Audio/Visual Production in the future, which may include taking either Electrical Engineering or Theatre Design and Technology.

Jessica Van Orden processed Series IV: the “Nanticoke-Pittston-Wyoming” (NPW) Wilkes-Barre Area Medical Complex records, 1969-1978. An alumna of Wilkes University, Jess aims to complete her MILS and continue her work in archival studies.

Come check out their blogpost highlighting the historical merger between Wilkes College and Hahnemann Medical College and the merger of the NPW Medical Complex in the Wyoming Valley.

Wilkes University Archives is excited to announce that, thanks to Michael Peterson, a Freshman Spanish Major, the Wilkes-Hahnemann collection, 1968-1989, is now processed and available online for r…