decorative only
University of Virginia Library

Annual Report 2026

decorative only
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA LIBRARY

Annual Report 2026

Leo Lo is smiling at the camera in front of the white columned Special Collections building

From Dean Lo

Early in my first year at UVA, I was asked: In the age of AI, what is a library for?

I gave a direct answer: the same thing it has always been for. A place that helps people find what they need and figure out whether to trust it. The technology changes. That job does not.

Today, I would give a broader answer.

A library is also where 600 people show up on the Fourth of July to print their own copies of the Declaration of Independence. Where an archivist makes the largest Faulkner collection in the world searchable for the first time. Where staff keep the building open as a warming center during an ice storm because people in the community need a place to go. Where students gather to read together, or discover zine-making.

Read the full letter

A notable year

During our first year with Dean of Libraries Leo Lo, the Library emphasized its expertise in information literacy and how this skill is critical for navigating AI in higher education. Meanwhile, our commitment to the long-term profession deepened, with growing archival preservation activity and the culmination of a leadership institute for members of the archival field. We welcomed interns from a local center for neurodevelopment, and said goodbye to a national legend.

A Library for the present and the future: Growth & change

The Library put major infrastructure work into facilitating open scholarship, an accessible Library ecosystem, and a deep online reference repository covering nearly 100 subject areas. We learned from you, and appreciated your ideas, your praise, and your suggestions for improvement. And finally, working with the College, we launched a new AI Lab, serving the whole of the University community. UVA Library explored new frontiers in research, acquisitions, and programming. These stories cover everything from our first-ever Artist in Residence to expanding digital accessibility across Library platforms.

Supporting academics and education

This year is all about unearthing — a time capsule, literary papers, trade catalogs, and local newspapers; all being brought to the surface in new ways. The UVA Library collection deepens with the addition of tools to aid in use and discovery, and it broadens with new and exceptional collections.

Something for everyone: Activities & events

Come for the scholarship, stay for the community. In our nation’s 250th year, we saw renewed attention to the Special Collections’ copies of the Declaration of Independence; and a lively “Revolutionary” event in July. Library staff put AI models through their paces, and creation studios expanded. This year you could enjoy camaraderie during quiet reading groups, or try out printmaking and zines. There’s always something interesting going on at the Library!

A special place: Exhibitions, art, & spaces

UVA Library has six locations, each with unique places to study, learn, and create. These stories highlight exhibitions, art installations, and accolades that make our libraries so special.

People and collections

Collections & data

Popular materials, usage stats, delivery numbers, and expenditures.

Arrivals & departures

Staffing changes, including positions changes.

Lectures & grants

Incoming grant projects and lecture series.

A woman with dark curly hair smiles warmly at the camera

Remembering Grace Hale

This year we were deeply saddened to lose one of our own.

Read our remembrance
null

Appreciate the work of the UVA Library?

You can help!
A person with a lanyard leans over a library circulation desk, looking at documents with another person holding a phone. They are in a well-lit room with wood paneling and a collage of photos on the wall.
null

That's a wrap!

Copyright ©2026 by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia 

Written and produced by staff of the University of Virginia Library 

Images courtesy of...

Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, Ézé Amos, Lucy Bassett, Jane Centofante, Jeneene Chatowsky, Tom Daly, Sue Donovan, Stacey Evans, Haley Gillilan, Elysé Girard, Stephanie Gross, Brenda Gunn, Jeff Hill, Shane Lin, Jack Looney, Matt Newton, Amber Reichert, Matt Riley, Holly Robertson, Sanjay Suchak, Josh Thorud, University of Virginia Communications, University of Virginia Library Digital Production Group, University of Virginia Press, Valentine Museum, Villèle Historical Museum/Departmental Archives of Réunion Island, and Melanie Williams

Every effort has been made to produce an accurate report. If you notice errors or omissions, or have questions or comments, please contact UVA Library Communications at lb-communications@virginia.edu.