The Future Anatomy Room at Carrier Library: Enhancing Engaged Learning at JMU
Posted September 16, 2024 in Carrier Renovation News, Featured News, Giving to JMU Libraries News, JMU Libraries News
Among the many exciting features of the renovated and expanded Carrier Library will be a state-of-the-art Anatomy Room. Here, JMU students will experience “hands-on learning” in the truest sense as they use three-dimensional anatomical models such as skeletons, hearts, skulls, ears, and eyes to learn about human anatomy. Slated to be on the first floor of the future Carrier Library just inside the new entrance facing D-Hall, the Anatomy Room will provide an engaged learning environment on the Bluestone side of campus, complementing the existing anatomy room in Rose Library on the east side of campus.
“The anatomical model collection brings textbook illustrations to life, providing students with a new way of engaging with course materials,” said Kathryn Shenk, science and math librarian in JMU Libraries. “I enjoy hearing students describe the intricacies of the skeletal system to their peers as they use the anatomical models together.”
The anatomy model program emerged from close collaboration between JMU Libraries, the Department of Biology, and the Learning Centers. Together, they researched and selected the most appropriate anatomical models and other learning tools to ensure student engagement.
Carolyn Schubert, associate dean in JMU Libraries, highlighted the accessibility benefits of locating an anatomy room in the new Carrier Library. She noted, “Offering anatomical models in libraries provides more access than offering them in anatomy labs, which may have limited availability due to academic building restrictions.” The anatomy rooms in JMU Libraries are open to all students, unlike those in academic buildings that are restricted to students in specific majors, ensuring that any Duke can benefit from these resources.
“We’ve received quite a bit of positive feedback about the anatomical models since we started offering them in Rose Library in 2015 and Carrier Library in 2017,” said Kelly Miller-Martin, JMU Libraries’ director of facilities operations. “I saw at least one student squeal with excitement when our non-skeleton anatomy models were made available for the first time.”
The popularity of the anatomy resources coupled with Carrier Library’s proximity to Burruss Hall and the College of Health and Behavioral Studies building suggests that the new lab will be a well-loved destination in the new Carrier Library. “Burruss houses all of JMU’s anatomical lab sessions, and hundreds of anatomy students come through Burruss each semester,” according to Mark Gabriele, professor in the Department of Biology. “Having an anatomy room available in Carrier Library, right next door to Burruss, will be a great opportunity for all Dukes taking anatomy classes.”
Carrier Library’s anatomy room will be named by generous alums who chose to continue their investments in JMU’s future by supporting a learning opportunity that has personal meaning to them. The Thomas family (Becky (’93), David (’93), Madison (’18), and Dylan) are naming the anatomy room in honor of Madison (’18), who graduated with honors in Biotechnology. The Thomases wanted to make a gift that would leave a lasting impact on JMU. They reflected, “The opportunity to support the learning of the entire academic community while honoring Dr. Carrier’s legacy made the decision to support this project easy for our family. Ensuring the accessibility of learning to all is a focus of our philanthropy at JMU, which means that this opportunity to broaden access to physical anatomical models that are extremely valuable to kinesthetic learners fits in very well with that focus.”
Parts of this story were excerpted and adapted from Uniquely Lendable Collections (originally published in Virginia Libraries) under a CC BY 4.0 license.