Skip to Main Content
library banner

RCL: About Us

Mission

The Rebecca Crown Library (RCL) is an integral part of the culture and community of Dominican University. Its mission is in harmony with the Dominican University Mission: to pursue truth, give compassionate service, and contribute to a more just and humane world. The mission of the Rebecca Crown Library mandates the academic support of students, faculty, and staff for resources and services. In addition to supplying print and electronic materials, services such as reference, circulation, interlibrary loan and instruction provide means through which the Dominican University Mission may be realized.

DIRECTORY

Departments
Acquisitions (708) 524-6882 acq@dom.edu
Archives (708) 524-5929 archives@dom.edu
Circulation (708) 524-6876 circ@dom.edu
Government Docs (708) 524-6872 govdocs@dom.edu
Innovation Lab (708) 524-6505 innovationlab@dom.edu
Interlibrary Loan (708) 524-6877 interlib@dom.edu
Periodicals (708) 524-6882 periodicals@dom.edu
Recording Studio (708) 524-6500 innovationlab@dom.edu
Reference (708) 524-6875 reference@dom.edu
Reserves (708) 524-6877 reserves@dom.edu

 

Faculty Librarians and Library Staff
Beronica Avila, MLIS Learning Commons Librarian (708) 524-6958 bavila1@dom.edu
Jill Bambenek, MLIS Access Services Librarian (708) 524-6874 jbambenek@dom.edu
David Banas Weekend Circulation Coordinator  (708) 524-6876 banadavi@dom.edu 
Eric Currie, MA, MLIS Part-Time Reference Librarian (708) 524-6875 ecurrie@dom.edu
Ben De Biasio, MLIS Community Learning & Outreach Librarian (708) 524-6870 bdebiasio1@dom.edu
Gabrielle Frigo Evening Circulation Coordinator (708) 524-6881 gfrigo1@dom.edu
Cathy Geers, MA, MLIS Part-Time Reference Librarian (708) 524-6875 cgeers@dom.edu
Allison Liesz, MLIS Acquisitions Coordinator (708) 524-6882 aliesz@dom.edu
Estevan Montano University Librarian (708) 524-6873 emontano@dom.edu
Julia Burns Petrella, MLIS Part-Time Instruction Librarian (708) 524-6884 jpetrella@dom.edu 
Sabrena Robinson, MAEA, MLIS Part-Time Reference Librarian (708) 524-6875 swetzel@dom.edu
Ricardo Rodriguez, MLIS Circulation Coordinator (708) 524-6877 rrodriguez3@dom.edu
Marie-Louise Settem Library Operations Coordinator (708) 524-6880 settmari@dom.edu
Phil Skurski, MLIS Part-Time Instruction Librarian (708) 524-6880 pskurski1@dom.edu
Steven Szegedi, MLIS Archivist & Special Collections Librarian (708) 524-5929 sszegedi@dom.edu

HISTORY

Dominican University's first library, containing the collections brought from St. Clara College in Sinsinawa, was located in what is now the Phyllis Skiffington Noonan Reading Room on the second floor of Lewis Hall.  Sister Mary Reparata Murray, who established the School of Library Science in 1930, was the first librarian.

The current Library, named after Rebecca Kranz Crown, the wife of Colonel Henry Crown, Chicago philanthropist, and the library's principal benefactor, opened in 1972. Major renovations, which created the light, open spaces one sees today, were completed in 2002.