Cathy Fennell to Retire

Cathy Fennell has been a familiar presence at the Gertrude Kistler Memorial Library for the last four decades. While much has changed on campus during this time, her priority has remained the same: to create a warm and supportive environment for students to thrive in their academic journeys.

“We continue to strive to provide the latest in library services as well as using technology to its best advantage,” she said. “I constantly look for ways to make the library better and to establish it as the center or heart, if you will, of the College.”

For the last ten years she has served as Executive Director of Library Services.

“I oversee the overall planning, management, and operation of the Gertrude Kistler Memorial Library which includes the College and President’s archives,” she said. “I also work collaboratively with Sr. Roseanne McDougall at the Society of the Holy Child Jesus Archives. Just like when I started at Rosemont, I do a little of everything but mostly oversee a wonderful library staff who are dedicated to assisting our students to achieve their best.”

Cathy Fennell first began working at Rosemont in 1977 after completing her undergraduate degree in Education, with a concentration in School Librarianship.

“Sr. Mary Dennis Lynch hired me, and she told me she was not sure about hiring me as I looked too young even though I was twenty-two,” said Fennell. “I started as Circulation Coordinator. It was a great opportunity for me as not only did I learn about Circulation but learned how to do most of everything in the library.”

She left Rosemont in 1979 to attend graduate school at Drexel University but returned to Rosemont in 1984 to work on a part-time basis and has been here ever since. From 1995-1997, she was the Systems and Reference Librarian and led the establishment of Rosemont’s Integrated Library System (SIRSI). By 1997, she was the Acting Library Director and in 1998 was named Director of Library Services. Fennell has also been a part-time faculty member and taught the children’s literature course for many years.

“I loved teaching children’s literature and one of my favorite places in the library is the children’s room,” she said. “My love for children’s books and literature was why I considered being a children’s or school librarian. I tried to make the children’s room into the school library I might have liked to oversee, one that my Children’s Lit. students as well as all the Rosemont students would enjoy using.”

The Kistler Library certainly holds a special place in Fennell’s heart. It is the place where she met her husband nearly 40 years ago.

“Who would ever think that one would meet their husband at a women’s college, but Jay was hired to work in the library the same year as me,” she said. “He worked evenings, and I worked days but somehow we met and the rest is history. We have been married 38 years.”

Rosemont has continued to be a significant part of her family’s lives as two of her three children attended the College.

When she’s not at the Kistler Library, Fennell enjoys reading, quilting, and spending time with her family.

“For the past eight or so years, I have made a Rosemont T-shirt quilt that I give to Campus Ministry to raffle to help with their service needs,” she said. “I’m truly honored that they like the quilts and am very happy when one of our students wins it as it will be a lasting memory of Rosemont. Also, I enjoy spending time with my family especially my two grandchildren, Billy and Caylee.”

Even as she prepares for retirement, Fennell plans to continue her passion of librarianship.

“I’m looking forward to spending time with my family as well as endeavoring to become a quilt historian as well as a better quilter,” she said. “I have not given up on libraries, as I do work at a small library a few hours a week, just as I told Sr. Dennis many years ago, to keep my foot in the door and to see how librarianship continues to develop into the future.”

Fennell treasures the memories and friendships she has made at Rosemont.

“This place has a feeling, I can’t exactly explain what it is, but I guess it’s what’s kept me here all this time.” The first full meeting of the Centennial Committee of 2021 was held at the end of January by Zoom for members to brainstorm how to celebrate this milestone year. Three subcommittees focused on Social/Celebration, Education, Service/ Spiritual will continue to meet regularly during the semester to plan events for the Centennial.

The Centennial Committee is comprised of more than 50 alumni and friends of the College. The group is led by chairpersons Pat Ciarrocchi ’74, former Rosemont Trustee and Cresset Award recipient, and Dianne Rotwitt ’98, Rosemont benefactor and former employee of the College.

“The members of the committees have been bringing wonderful ideas to the table about how we can celebrate Rosemont for this significant milestone,” said Ciarrocchi. “We’re all looking forward to debuting the lineup of activities and events this spring so that everyone in the Rosemont family can make plans to join us.”

The committee includes alumni from 1952 to 2018, Rosemont’s former Presidents, members of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, former Trustees, current Trustees, faculty/academic program directors, staff, students, and friends of the College.

The next full Committee meeting will take place on April 22 to finalize plans from each subcommittee and work toward the Centennial Year to be held September 2021 – June 2022.

“It’s a remarkable time to be celebrating Rosemont,” said Rotwitt. “There will be multiple ways to be involved in the celebrations and truly something for everyone to enjoy.”

Stay tuned for plans to be unveiled in May!