Carrier Library on Schedule to Reopen for Fall 2026
Posted August 19, 2024 in Carrier Renovation News, Featured News, Giving to JMU Libraries News, JMU Libraries News
Fall semester 2026 is the planned grand reopening date for the renovated and expanded Carrier Library. We’re so excited to welcome everyone back in two years!
Whether you are looking forward to the sweeping views from the grand reading room or the expert help at our new educational technology and library service desks, you’ll have much to enjoy when Carrier reopens, better than ever, in Fall 2026.
Construction and Timeline
The skilled craftspeople working on our beloved building are making fantastic, on-schedule progress, which you can follow on the construction camera. JMU Facilities Planning and Construction is already planning the work that must be completed once the external construction manager, Kjellstrom + Lee, wraps up.
We are collaborating with our partners in JMU Facilities Management on our plans to bring books back, install new technology, relocate staff offices, and finish the other labor needed to safely welcome you back. We are also developing procedures to operate, staff, and support all the new spaces. Our successful move-out operation prepared us well for the multi-phased project to move back into Carrier Library during Spring and Summer 2026.
As Towana Moore, JMU’s vice president for Administration and Finance, shared in the August 14 University Welcome event, “It’s going to be an outstanding facility and one that is what you would expect for an institution like James Madison. It will be available for students in fall of 2026.”
New Images and Videos
Get a sneak peek of the first floor in this video of the interior of Carrier under construction! We’ve also got dozens of new interior images, including photos of the grand reading room, which will offer breathtaking views from the top floor of the expansion.
The expansion, visible on the right side of the photo below, will be the newest part of the library, adding a variety of airy, light-filled spaces.
the grand reading room and a new entrance facing the Student Success Center.
Craving More Construction Updates?
Follow us on social media, check out the construction camera, or visit our Carrier Renovation and Expansion site for the latest!
We’re Still Here for You
While Carrier Library is closed for construction, you still have access to all the usual library services in four locations and online! Here’s what you need to know about how to use JMU Libraries this fall.