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Category: Giving to JMU Libraries News

Feature Friday: Advancing Archaeology Through Collaboration 

Posted March 27, 2026

When Dr. Dennis Blanton reflects on his career at JMU, one theme stands out: collaboration.   As a professor of anthropology preparing for retirement this spring, Blanton has spent decades uncovering the stories of the past—most recently through research on early […]

Photo of Dr. Dennis Blanton and Jared Wark with artifacts and a 3D scanner in The Makery.

From Classroom to Camera: Madison’s Story

Posted March 10, 2026

Every year, students nearing the end of JMU’s Physician Assistant (PA) program are required to complete a Capstone Project. As part of the Capstone Project, students are given the opportunity to play the part of a PA in a mock […]

5 Former Libraries Student Employees and What They’re Doing Now

Posted March 6, 2026

Each year, JMU Libraries provides on-campus jobs to almost 100 hardworking student employees who develop professional skills and make lasting memories while serving the campus community. But the story doesn’t end when they graduate. The lessons learned behind the desk, […]

Alumna Creates the “Karen Stultz Whetzel Stacks & Scholars” Scholarship for Libraries Student Employees

Posted March 4, 2026

Former JMU Libraries student employee and proud “Double Duke” Karen Stultz Whetzel (’71, ’74M) has given back to the community that helped shape her journey by establishing a meaningful scholarship for JMU Libraries student employees. This heartfelt gift will support […]

Support All Dukes on JMU Giving Day

Posted February 26, 2026

Your gift powers learning for all Dukes. Libraries connect people with ideas—and with opportunities to learn and grow. They’re where students and scholars draw on the wisdom of the past and help shape the future. When the expanded Carrier Library […]

give like a duke

Beyond the Textbook – Students Preserving Local Black History at Simms

Posted January 30, 2026

Next time you’re in the Northeast neighborhood of Harrisonburg, look for the Lucy F. Simms Center—a large brick building next to Ralph Sampson Park. If you think it looks like a public school, you are correct. This community center was once the Lucy F. Simms School, a cornerstone of the Black community in Harrisonburg, VA, until it was closed in 1966 as part […]

Mary Awkard Fairfax and students standing in front of Lucy F. Simms School

On Track for August: Carrier Library Renovation Moves from Construction to Interiors

Posted January 16, 2026

We are on track to welcome the JMU community back to a transformed Carrier Library this August.  Major construction on the 195,000-square-foot building will wrap up in late January, paving the way for the next phase: finalizing the interiors. Over the coming months, this work will include installing new equipment and technology, receiving and placing thousands […]

photo of the jones wing of carrier library at jmu

Read All About It! The 2025 JMU Libraries Magazine

Posted December 8, 2025

Hot off the presses: it’s the third edition of the JMU Libraries Magazine!  This is a very special issue: we are thrilled to highlight progress toward the restoration, renovation, and expansion of Carrier Library, set to reopen in August 2026! […]

11 Things We Can’t Wait for Students to Discover in Carrier Library

Posted November 11, 2025

Carrier Library will reopen in August 2026! We’re so excited to welcome you back to a space that’s more inspiring, usable, and accessible than ever.  Here are 11 things we can’t wait for Dukes to discover when we hold the […]

artist's rendering of an open study space in carrier library

New library spaces will serve all students (from JMU News)

Posted September 15, 2025

When Carrier Library reopens in Fall 2026, Dukes will discover new, specialized spaces open to all students and designed to enhance learning. Members of the Madison community named many of these innovative spaces through philanthropic gifts that will help bring […]

artists rendering of the Jones Wing of Carrier Library at JMU