The Future Carrier Library

Artist's rendering of the arc at the redesigned existing entrance of Carrier Library (left image) and the glass entrance facing Grace Street (middle image and right image)
Artist’s rendering of the arc at the redesigned existing entrance (left image) and the glass entrance facing Grace Street (middle image and right image)

Preserving the past; creating new futures

The Carrier Library of 2026 and beyond will enable Dukes and community members to learn from the past and create new futures. Whether exploring well-preserved local history materials or designing a virtual reality landscape, students and researchers will benefit from the spaces and services made possible by this renovation and expansion. The new Carrier Library will be one that befits JMU’s status as a national university.

An intellectual and literal crossroads for campus

By providing connective paths between nearby buildings and removing physical barriers to access, the design of the new Carrier Library encourages the flow of people, ideas, and creativity. A library is an intellectual crossroads for any community or institution that it’s a part of, and the new Carrier Library will now be a literal crossroads for JMU.

Opening up and welcoming all

A beautiful and accessible new entrance facing Grace Street and a welcoming arc at the redesigned existing entrance will visibly demonstrate JMU’s openness and commitment to engage with the broader community and the world. Whether entering through the preserved 1939 entrance or one of these two new grand entrances, visitors will be welcomed by light-filled, airy spaces that lead intuitively to various features of Carrier Library.

Artists’ rendering of the interior of the library expansion,
including the large windows (on the left) that will face Grace Street
Overhead view of the site plan for the renovation, expansion, and surrounding area

Features

  • centers universal design, exceeding the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • 24-hour student study space
  • quiet, inspiring reading rooms and browseable book collections
  • terraces and outdoor spaces
  • consultation and group study rooms
  • universal restrooms on every floor
  • lactation space and relaxation room
  • makerspace and experimental technology classroom
  • video and audio/podcasting studios
  • a new home for the Furious Flower Poetry Center
  • new facilities for Special Collections and a lab for the conservation of books and manuscripts
  • a café and social space
  • a student kitchenette and vending machines
  • new library and educational technology service desks
  • new spaces for library instruction, innovative educational technology, digital scholarship, and distinctive collections

Size
56,400 square feet of new construction
121,200 square feet of renovation

Planned construction start date
After graduation in May 2023 (learn more)

Estimated reopening of Carrier Library
Fall 2026

Architects
RAMSA + Moseley Architects

Artist's rendering of the preserved 1939 façade of Carrier Library and the expansion visible to the left of it
Artist’s rendering of the preserved 1939 façade and the expansion visible to the left of it