Works of science fiction and fantasy often contain a wizard who acts as the keeper of wisdom and knowledge. Here at Wilkes, that’s Brian Sacolic, director of the Eugene S. Farley Library. And while Sacolic spends his days in the library surrounded by books, he wants the campus community to know that today’s library contains so much more.
“Libraries are in transition these days. We’ve moving into the 21st century with digital and AI,” says Sacolic. “It’s a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity. It’s an exciting time to be in libraries.”
Visitors who enter the library have 95,000 full text journals, 250,000 ebooks and 150,000 print books at their fingertips. Students, faculty and staff can also access plenty of titles online 24/7. With the recent addition of FOLIO, getting your hands on some knowledge has become quicker and easier.
FOLIO, which stands for the Future of Libraries Is Open, is an open-source system that allows libraries to create a collaborative, integrated environment. The platform connects circulation, cataloging, acquisition and public access to streamline searches and cut down on confusion. “It does everything,” says Sacolic. “Libraries are heavily automated these days, and FOLIO links it all together. FOLIO runs behind the scenes to make everything easier and more efficient.”
While FOLIO powers the discovery service, Wilkes users are more likely to see the name Find@Farley on the front end. By either name, the system means faculty can order books faster, students can speed up their research, library staff can streamline processes and the University will save money.
The system took about a year to implement, with great support from the FOLIO team, and it puts Wilkes in some good company. Libraries at Cornell University, Michigan State University and Stanford University all use FOLIO, as does the Library of Congress. “It’s pretty much the wave of the future,” says Sacolic.
Sacolic’s contributions to the library and the campus as a whole have not gone unnoticed. “Brian is a true Wilkes Colonel and an advocate for the Farley Library and the myriad of ways it continuously and positively impacts our students and the campus community,” says LaFleur Small, associate provost for academic and diversity affairs. “We are privileged to have his leadership and his team as the library continues to innovate and remains the hub of our campus.”
Though FOLIO is the biggest update at the Farley Library, it’s not the only one. The library is adding a lactation room to meet the needs of students who are also new mothers and has relocated the prayer room to make it more inviting. Visitors can also relax in the commuter lounge and get assistance from the writing center, IT help desk or reference services. “We want the library to be an active place,” Sacolic says.
Sacolic jokes that the library is his home away from home and has been since he started at Wilkes in November of 1987. Though books are in his blood, Sacolic has a background in the sciences. But a friend who switched career paths from geologist to librarian inspired him to do the same. Now at Wilkes, he gets to combine his passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and the written word while helping students with research and teaching the occasional environmental literature course.
Jokes aside, Sacolic splits his time between a home in Luzerne County and a farm in Clarion County. The farm has been in his family for more than 200 years. The first structure on the property was a log cabin, followed by a barn and then a proper home — full of a collection of antiques including a tea set from the days of Napoleon that was given to a family member as a wedding present. While some of the acreage has since been used for a school, church, seminary and local housing, the property is still a working farm.
“I’m kind of a country boy at heart,” says Sacolic. “To me, Wilkes-Barre is a big city compared to where I grew up.”
Sacolic enjoys spending time in nature and hikes when he has the opportunity. “There’s lots of good hiking trails in Pennsylvania. It’s a woodsy state,” he says. The Mid State Trail in Centre County is a favorite spot, though it once resulted in a tense encounter. “One time, I almost put my foot down on a timber rattler,” Sacolic says. “We both backed away. We were not interested in meeting each other.”
When he’s not reveling in nature, it’s no surprise that Sacolic is interested in plenty of good books. Recent favorites include A Stillness at Appomattox by Bruce Catton and Trilobite! Eyewitness to Evolution by Richard Forley. His reading tastes tend toward the seasonal, focusing on music in the spring, history in the summer and science in the fall, wrapping up any leftover books in the winter. “I don’t read much fiction,” says Sacolic. “I like non-fiction better.” Still, he can’t resist a plug for the Farley Library, noting the recent addition of manga and graphic novels. “We do have a great leisure reading collection.”
Whether he’s helping a student with research, tracking down a source for a faculty member or recommending a good reading distraction for downtime, Sacolic wants to share the library and all its knowledge with others. When asked to fill in the blank in “At Wilkes, I Will …” he answers quickly. “Help students succeed. I just want to help them reach their goals and dreams. That’s the whole point of the library.”
