‘Worth the wait’

For many alumni, Carrier Library is personal. When Susan Brown (’84) arrived on campus in 1980, the library was under renovation to meet state standards after a large influx of students and faculty members. “Like students at JMU today, I watched the ongoing construction through chain-link fences, wondering when it would be ready,” she said.

“Helping to support this next transformation for future generations to enjoy that same cultural experience just made sense to us.” — Dave (’93) and Becky (’93) Thomas

The library reopened in 1982, unveiling cozy stacks, study nooks and a plethora of research materials. “It was worth the wait,” Brown said.

These memories and personal connections have inspired alumni like Brown to invest early in the Carrier Library renovation project — slated to reopen in Fall 2026 — by naming rooms in the new space.

Supporting and naming the Accessible Technology Lab “has special meaning for our whole family,” said Becky (’93) and Dave (’93) Thomas. “Especially [our son] Dylan, because of our collective interest in ensuring an even playing field for students with disabilities.” The Thomases also chose to invest in the Anatomy Lab to recognize their daughter, Madison (’18), who graduated with honors in Biotechnology. “The opportunity to support the learning of the entire academic community at JMU while helping to honor Dr. [Ronald E.] Carrier’s legacy made the decision to support this project easy for our family,” they said.

One alumni family feels a special connection to the library’s quiet and coveted study rooms. Michael (’91) and Jessica (’92) Donlan have fond memories of scouting out a quiet place to study or taking advantage of the library’s physical and digital research materials. Two of their sons, both Dukes, made their own library memories. Carrier Library is “a community-gathering location that can foster a sense of belonging, no matter what a student’s particular major might be,” the Donlan family said. “Helping to support this next transformation for future generations to enjoy that same cultural experience just made sense to us.”

For Brown, “libraries have been a kind of touchstone in my life, there for me during good times, bad times and challenging times.” Alongside her husband, Mike, the Browns are naming the Conservation Lab, a new space celebrating print culture and dedicated to the preservation and conservation of historical books and manuscripts. “I think current students will love how original parts of the building have been discovered and reclaimed,” Brown said, “but the new construction will also offer the modern: new, panoramic views toward East Campus as well as new technologies to expand student horizons.”

Whether Dukes gravitate toward the old or the new in Carrier Library, Brown knows one thing for sure: “It’s going to be worth the wait.”