Educational technology comprises the sophisticated tools, technology, media and facilities that support teaching, learning and communicating knowledge in libraries and classrooms across campus. Ed tech evolves quickly and requires tremendous resources to stay current. Library teams are constantly experimenting with and testing new equipment and systems, offering workshops and training, and providing opportunities to JMU faculty and students to invent the future of teaching and learning through access to makerspaces, augmented and virtual reality, podcasting and video creation studios, and more.

Donor support will fund new and regularly refreshed equipment and cutting-edge software and help the libraries support continuing student and faculty education through year-round programming.

The new Carrier Library has been designed with technology-rich learning spaces that reflect fields of research and innovation across campus. In addition to classrooms and study spaces for all students, there will be specialized learning spaces, such as an assistive technology room for students with disabilities. There will also be a dedicated Special Collections teaching space, media studios and an experimental technologies classroom. 

Donor support will bolster essential research collections, both physical and digital, including manuscripts, rare and “retro” media formats and online resources. It will also outfit the conservation lab for books and manuscripts and a cutting-edge digital forensics lab: spaces where born-digital content can be preserved and where rare, unique and obsolete media are digitized and reformatted for preservation and continued access.

The new Carrier Library is intentionally designed with a variety of exhibit and gallery spaces waiting to come to life. These features will showcase the research and creative outputs of faculty members and students, celebrate the arts as well as JMU and Virginia history, and spotlight a wide range of experiences and perspectives that constitute our global community. 

Donor philanthropy will provide the technology and equipment to support rotating art exhibits of rare and unique materials from our own library collections, student and faculty works, JMU Collections, and digital and interactive displays of faculty projects. With donor funding, these exhibits and art pieces will complement video archives from Furious Flower in dazzling showcase and gallery spaces.