Students, faculty and staff gathered in Griffith Library on the University City campus March 13 to remember and share stories about Joseph W. England Library.
St. Joe’s had originally announced plans to officially vacate the England Library building at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year, but air conditioning issues led to it being closed last summer instead. Other than a brief time when it was open during the final exam period last semester, it has been closed to patrons the entire academic year.
Attendees conversed at the event as they enjoyed food and drinks, provided by Crimson & Gray Catering, and a raffle for prizes, which included a painting and plants that were once housed in England Library.
The party was a time to honor the former library building and what it meant for the people who worked in and visited the space, said Jennifer Hasse, head of access services and student experience for Saint Joseph’s University Libraries.
“We just wanted to give a sense of closure for people,” Hasse said. “We do think it was a really significant place for a lot of people, so we wanted to celebrate that and bring people together.”
The gathering took place in the new library at UCity, now housed on the second floor of Griffith Hall. Hasse said staff was happy to have the opportunity to show off the new space to people who used to work at England Library.
Many previous England Library staff members were in attendance, including Mignon Adams, who directed England Library until her retirement from then-University of the Sciences in 2007. Adams said England Library helped her connect with students even after their graduation.
“It was an outstanding staff that was excellent to work with and who also cared about the students,” Adams said.
Some students also came to honor the old library. Janet Cho ’26 said she would go to England Library almost every day and had some favorite spots.
“Definitely being on the third floor, being super quiet, and just being able to lock in and study was really nice,” Cho said. “And then transition into the second or the first floor and talk with my friends, get a little good break, then go back up.”
Gena Cirafesi ’24, who worked as a student library assistant, reflected fondly on the time she shared with her coworkers at the old library.
Cirafesi said working with Hilda Wilson, now building operations coordinator of the UCity location for Saint Joseph’s University Libraries, was one of her favorite memories of England Library.
“I would always have something to update her about, and the conversation would just take us, and before I know, we were talking for like 30 minutes or almost an hour,” Cirafesi said. “It was honestly the highlight of most of my days, just chatting with her.”
Wilson, who has been working for the UCity campus libraries for nearly 40 years, said England Library was a space that students could not only use as a resource, but also as a place to come together and talk. The entire staff and previous students remain connected to one another.
“It was just that community of friendship,” Wilson said.
Prior to the event, people had been invited to submit their favorite memories and photos of England Library, which were printed and posted around the event. Wilson’s name was frequently mentioned.
“I have worked with Ms. Hilda for many years, and she has always been loving and compassionate toward me,” wrote one student respondent, Elizabeth Tan. “She is patient, kind, helpful and feels like family to me, especially since this school is far from home. I will miss England Library and all of the memories I have there, but I am thankful for the new space and the new memories that are to come.”
The collections housed in England Library should be fully integrated into Drexel Library by the fall semester, said Anne Krakow ’14, St. Joe’s library director, who also attended the event.
“We’re moving the collection in July, but we have to interfile it with everything else, and that will take up a lot of time,” Krakow said. “I’m not 100% we’ll have it done before the semester starts.”
