The Edgar Shannon Library has been open a little more than a year, and in that time, it’s welcomed several hundred thousand visitors and hosted hundreds of events, workshops, and presentations. For a broad look at Shannon Library, check out our Overview and What’s in Shannon Library? videos.
For a closer look, enjoy the photos below. Photographers Tom Daly and Sanjay Suchak found some unusual angles, interesting patterns, and unexpected views of the library, capturing unique details of Shannon Library over its first year of operation.
The fifth-floor stacks in the newly renovated Shannon Library. (Photo by Tom Daly)
HBRA Architects received a national architecture award last week for their work on the Edgar Shannon Library at the University of Virginia. Traditional Building magazine honored the firm with its 2025 Palladio Award in the category of Commercial – New Design & Construction – more than 30,000 square feet.
Many people are familiar with Jewish culture — through food, humor, holidays, or history. But fewer have explored what it means to live a Jewish life, especially in the United States. For religiously observant Jews, that can include honoring the Sabbath each week, studying sacred texts, following Jewish religious law, and practicing daily traditions that bring meaning and connection.
Two fourth-year UVA Library student workers, Andrew Spencer and SuLing Llanes-Trexler, were profiled in UVA Today this week in a story about their unlikely friendship.
The Library’s exhibitions program allows us to serve the UVA community and beyond as an evolving space for discovery and celebration of our shared cultural heritage, by showcasing to the public the rare and unique materials available to the University’s faculty, students, and visiting researchers in a controlled environment, and celebrating them in creative and edifying ways. Exhibitions also allow us to take advantage of partnerships with other institutions and guest curators to bring fresh insight and new treasures to our galleries.
In a competitive application process, 25 archivists have been selected as cohort members in the 2025 Archives Leadership Institute (ALI) to be held at the University of Virginia Library, June 8-14, 2025.
ALI is a grant program funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission and aims to meet the ongoing professional development requirements for mid-career archivists. UVA’s grant provides $300,000 for the three-year project, which began in 2024 and will extend into 2026. ALI offers advanced training for the cohort, giving them the knowledge and tools to transform the archival profession in theory, practice, stewardship, and care.
It’s been a year since the grand opening of UVA’s largest Library building, Shannon Library, and the day-to-day operations continue smoothly; including the visible and invisible sustainability choices made during its construction. If you’ve ever noticed the paper compost receptacles or ample natural light, you’ve experienced them for yourself!
Certifiably sustainable
This spring, Shannon Library was awarded LEED Gold status by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental design) is the most widely used green building certification system in the world:
If you have a research software question, whether you’re a student, faculty member, or staff, UVA Library’s Nancy Kechner is here to help. A Research Software Specialist working in the Charles L. Brown Science and Engineering Library, Kechner answers numerous queries each day about software, tools, and technology; teaches workshops on data visualization; and creates LibGuides for students enrolled in various courses.
The lab aims to serve as a hub for students and faculty on AI, enabling them to conduct research and build a library of AI materials to address questions surrounding the technology.
This year, the University of Virginia launched its AI Literacy and Action Lab, based on a framework created by Leo S. Lo, UVA’s new university librarian and dean of libraries.
At UVA, leaders say part of the solution may lie in closer collaboration with employers — giving students hands-on experience while helping schools better understand workforce needs.
“With AI, there will be new ethical questions and ethical dilemmas. So we need to help students learn how to think about those new ethical questions, just be aware of them and having a framework to think about how to apply that in their lives,” said Leo Lo, dean of libraries.
This spring, Shannon Library was awarded LEED Gold status by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental design) is the most widely used green building certification system in the world: