Leo S. Lo, who currently serves as dean of the College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences at the University of New Mexico, has been appointed the University of Virginia’s next University librarian and dean of libraries, effective Sept. 15.
“We had an outstanding slate of finalists, and I’m excited that Leo will be joining us to lead the UVA Library into its third century,” said Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Brie Gertler. “He brings a wealth of experience to the position, and his expertise in AI literacy will be invaluable in helping to equip our students and faculty for a world permeated by this technology.”
When the Rotunda burned down in October of 1895 — faulty wiring was to blame — University of Virginia officials immediately pushed to rebuild, and in 1896, after a false start with McDonald Brothers of Louisville, Kentucky, the Board of Visitors hired prominent New York architects McKim, Mead & White. Stanford White, the artistic force of the firm, was the lead architect on the Rotunda redesign. The University also hired the firm to design three new buildings to enclose the South Lawn. These buildings, also designed by White, came to be Rouss, Cocke, and Cabell Halls, and White also went on to design Garrett Hall as well as Carr’s Hill, the UVA president’s home.
Late last month, UVA Today published a story on “must-read books for the summer” recommended by UVA Library staff. The suggestions ranged from a book about how Taylor Swift reinvented pop music (by a UVA alumnus) to Jane Austen’s arguably least-known work. That piece stayed on UVA Today’s list of “most popular” stories for two weeks and was even shared by UVA President Jim Ryan on Instagram.
To read more about these books, click the image below to access the UVA Today story.
Cecelia Parks, Undergraduate Student Success Librarian; Anne Causey, Reference Librarian; and Kiowa Hammons, Director of Copyright & Scholarly Communication Services, recommend nine books and films exploring the history, present, and future of trans people.
See the full list in Virgo, plus a few books that did not make the final cut!
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.
Leo S. Lo, who currently serves as dean of the College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences at the University of New Mexico, has been appointed the University of Virginia’s next University librarian and dean of libraries, effective Sept. 15.
That was one of the first details Mary Catherine Dunnigan noticed as she entered the University of Virginia’s Shannon Library for the first time in decades earlier this month. Dunnigan, who recently turned 103, chose to celebrate her birthday by returning to the University, where she spent years working as a librarian and director of the Fiske Kimball Fine Arts Library. She began working there more than 50 years ago, in 1973.
Dr. Amanda Wyatt Visconti, Scholars' Lab Director, manages the Scholars' Lab Zine Bakery, a collection of zines available to students located on the third floor of Shannon Library. The Zine Bakery offers a space for connection through art, politics, and identity, in a way that is accessible to all students.
