All about the new library

Construction news and progress

The big blue crane is gone. Vertical construction is complete. The windows are installed.

Returning students and faculty will see firsthand huge strides forward in the making of the new Cabell Library (#newcabell). Most of the loudest, jack-hammering level, work was completed during the summer.  

The building, which has remained open throughout construction that began in winter 2014, will continue around-the-clock operations. New service points and sections will open in stages. 

Highlights, dates and plans 

• Special Collections and Archives, on the fourth floor, is moving staff, collections and its services into new space. The new, expanded reading room will be open for researchers' use in January. For now, researchers should go to the temporary reading room, in the Mapp Room. Look for signs.
• The scheduled completion of third and fourth floors is Dec. 14.    
• The first and second floors will be furnished and equipped and ready for use by Nov. 1.
  Innovative Media is in temporary quarters on the west side of the third floor. It will move to its new location on the lower level in November. 
• Eleven new study rooms, seating up to 10, will be available by Nov. 1. They can be reserved through the study-room reservation system. 
• The new entrance with revolving doors, will be ready by Oct. 1. 
• Enlarged or new bathrooms are now available on first, second, third and fourth floors. 

The public celebration for the completion of the new Cabell will be in March 15, 2016.

Fundraising progress

VCU Libraries Development Office has set $500,000 in new gifts and pledges as its fundraising goal for this fiscal year. For the 2014-15 fiscal year, VCU Libraries raised a record amount, close to $300,000.

These essential private funds supplement the state's $50.8 investment in the new library. Funds are needed to aid in outfitting 93,000 new square feet of space and to build endowments to ensure a healthy financial future for the building. In-kind gifts of equipment are being sought for use by students and others in Innovative Media.