Inside Two Virginia University Library Renovations

Furniture In The Field, University Library Furniture

AGATI group study tables at JMU Carrier Library and individual study carrels at UVA Claude Moore Library.

Designing for Focus and Collaboration: Two Approaches to Library Design

Joe Agati Sr and I had the pleasure of visiting James Madison University and University of Virginia to check out their newly renovated and expanded libraries. Both libraries put their student body needs first, which meant different furniture solutions for specific work patterns. University of Virginia focused on independent study furniture solutions in the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library renovation, while James Madison University focused on group study furniture solutions in their massive renovation and expansion of the Carrier Library.

Project Summary: University of Virginia’s Independent Study Solutions

Project: Claude Moore Health Sciences Library Renovation

Scope: Furniture solutions for library lobby and quiet study spaces

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

Completion: 2026

Design Objective: Create environments that support prolonged concentration, accommodate technology-driven learning, and provide the privacy required for clinical education.

Featured AGATI Solutions: Single PODs, Cove Carrels, and Hampton Nook Duos.

Students using AGATI Cove Carrels and blue POD study carrels in UVA’s Claude Moore Health Sciences Library.

Wood-finish AGATI Cove Carrels with gray interior panels arranged near windows at UVA’s Claude Moore Library.

Primary Focus: Quiet, independent study spaces designed to help medical and health sciences students succeed in demanding academic programs.

Key Design Priorities: Student privacy, visual and acoustic separation, integrated power, durable materials, and comfortable workspaces for extended study sessions.

Outcome: A modern health sciences library that enhances the student experience by providing purpose-built environments using focus workstations for independent study.

Project Examples: Insights from our Onsite Visit

Privacy-Focused Study Spaces for Healthcare Education

David Moody, IT Director, gave us a tour of the University of Virginia’s Claude Moore Health Sciences Library. He explained that their Cove Carrels are configured to protect sensitive patient Information. Medical students frequently review confidential patient records and clinical information while preparing for coursework and collaborating with physicians, making screen privacy a critical requirement. To address this need, the carrels are arranged side by side with students’ backs facing the wall, helping shield computer monitors from public view while minimizing distractions. Cove Carrel’s flexible design allows universities to create configurations that support a variety of learning environments without compromising privacy.

A spacious worksurface easily accommodates university-provided monitors and keyboards, along with students’ personal belongings. Durable plastic laminate construction with protective metal trim and acoustical interior panels delivers long-lasting performance, comfort, and a quiet environment for concentrated study.

Students studying in a row of AGATI Cove Carrels with their backs toward the wall at UVA’s Claude Moore Library.

Orange AGATI Hampton Nook Duos with white tables and wood privacy dividers at UVA’s Claude Moore Library.

Flexible Study Nooks for Individual Focus and Study Partners

Hampton Nook Duos Adapt to the Changing Needs of Health Sciences Students

Located near the entrance to the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, Hampton Nook Duos create an inviting transition from the lobby into the library’s study spaces. Their semi-enclosed design offers students the choice to work independently or collaborate with a classmate, making them an ideal solution for this slightly higher-traffic area. By providing a sense of privacy without complete isolation, the nooks support focused work while remaining accessible and welcoming.

David explained that as students progress through their health sciences programs, their study habits tend to evolve. Early in their academic journey, many first-year students study alongside classmates. Later, coursework often requires prolonged concentration and individual preparation. Hampton Nook Duos accommodate both learning styles, giving students the flexibility to move seamlessly between collaborative study sessions and quiet, distraction-reducing individual work.

Single Study in Large Open Space

Designed for Quiet Refuge and Focus

Claude Moore Health Sciences Library segments one expansive quiet study room into multiple quiet study zones with PODs in serpentine layout. Each POD provides a sense of refuge with a large, open quiet study room. Visual and acoustical separation helps medical and health sciences students focus while studying complex clinical material.

These quiet study settings reflect the Library’s renovation goal to provide the independent study solutions that their medical students need. When David reflected on the Library’s renovation goals, I asked him for feedback on our furniture:

Of all the furniture we bought during our renovation, Agati Furniture has been the best quality. It’s well-designed. Students love the look and utility of it.

David Moody, IT Director
Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia

Blue curved AGATI Single POD study carrels with individual seats and tables at UVA’s Claude Moore Library.

Light-wood AGATI Etta study tables and lounge seating in JMU Carrier Library’s bright, window-lined entrance

Project Summary: James Madison University’s Group Study Solutions

Project: Carrier Library Renovation & Expansion

Scope: Furniture solutions for renovation and expansion of the university’s flagship library, including group study areas, reading rooms, and technology-rich learning environments

Location: Harrisonburg, Virginia

Completion: August 2026

Design Objective: Create welcoming spaces that support student success while preserving the library’s historic character and expanding its role as the intellectual crossroads of campus.

Featured AGATI Solutions: Etta Tables, Baja Chairs, Williams Tables, and Williams Carrels.

Primary Focus: Reclaim library space for students by transforming former book stack areas into collaborative learning environments. The furniture strategy emphasizes large group study tables and gathering spaces that encourage teamwork, discussion, and active learning.

Key Design Priorities: Respect the architectural legacy of Carrier Library while supporting the needs of today’s students. Originally constructed in 1939 and expanded in 1960 and 1980, today’s expansion and renovation thoughtfully blends historic character with contemporary design. Durable materials, integrated power, and a cohesive furniture aesthetic ensure the new spaces perform for high-traffic academic use while feeling like a natural extension of the library’s history.

Outcome: The renovated Carrier Library successfully shifts valuable floor space from collections to students, creating an inviting destination for collaboration, study, and campus life. Agati’s Active Learning & Study Tables, Carrels, and Side Seating contribute to a modern learning environment that balances large-group collaboration with individual study, enhancing both the functionality and student experience of one of James Madison University’s most iconic buildings.

Overhead view of light-wood AGATI Etta group study tables beside tall windows at JMU Carrier Library.

Dark-wood AGATI Etta study tables beneath historic column capitals in JMU Carrier Library’s restored wing.

Project Examples: Insights from our Onsite Visit

One Timeless Table Style Connects Two Eras

Kelly Miller Martin, Director of Facilities Operations, kindly gave us a tour of the JMV Carrier Library renovation. She explained that they selected the Etta Table for it’s transitional design to connect the library’s historic and modern spaces.

Students entering the renovated Carrier Library are welcomed by AGATI Etta group study tables in a light wood finish, establishing a bright, contemporary first impression. Deeper within the library, the same Etta tables appear in a rich dark wood, creating a natural transition into the restored 1939 spaces. Etta’s fundamental design speaks equally well to both traditional and modern architecture, making it the ideal table to unify spaces built nearly a century apart.

That thoughtful design approach allowed James Madison University to blend the library’s newest additions with its historic character without making either feel out of place. The dark wood tables complement the original architectural details, including these beautifully preserved 1939 column capitals. Nearby, a section of the original stone walls is intentionally exposed, allowing students to experience—and even touch—the history of the building as they study!

A Group Study Table Designed to Give Space Back to Students

Custom Etta Table Creates a Shared Study Destination

One of the primary goals of the Carrier Library renovation was to give study space back to students and create a variety of student-centered environments. This exceptionally long, custom Etta table provides ample room for large-group study, enabling students to gather, exchange ideas, and work together within a shared setting. Built-in power and integrated reading lamps support laptops and extended study sessions at every seat.

The design team used a consistent furniture vocabulary to connect the library’s different eras. The Etta collection provides the warmth, durability, and timeless aesthetic needed to complement both contemporary and historic architecture. The result is a library where the furniture enhances the experience without competing with it, allowing students to enjoy a space that feels both rooted in history and designed for the future.

Long custom AGATI Etta group study table with reading lamps and power outlets at JMU Carrier Library.

AGATI Williams study tables and Baja chairs surrounded by bookshelves in JMU Carrier Library’s Grand Reading Room.

Grand Reading Room: A Modern Home for Print Collections

Keeping Books Close to Students

As library collections become digital, James Madison University found that students increasingly value spaces where they can study alongside physical books. The renovated Grand Reading Room embraces this shift by pairing open shelving with more than 230 Baja Side Chairs, creating a welcoming destination where students can read, research, and work in a quiet academic setting. The room’s warm wood finishes and generous table layouts reinforce the timeless comfort of studying among library books.

The Williams Tables feature integrated tabletop power outlets, but the university intentionally omitted USB charging. Their guiding philosophy—”Long life. Loose fit.”—recognized that power standards evolve more slowly than USB technologies. Kelly explained that the students’ primary need is power and that investment remains relevant as technology continues to change.

Carrier Library’s Experience With AGATI Furniture

Furniture That Earned Its Place in the Next Renovation

As Carrier Library has grown over the decades, so has their furniture collection. In 2008, Carrier library purchased 366 Ella chairs, 72 Charles Tables and 18 Charles Carrels. They also purchased Williams Collection pieces over the years, such as the Williams Carrels depicted on the right. When I asked Kelly how she selected furniture for their most recent and biggest renovation, she said:

My experience with the lasting power of your products informed my decision to purchase more. I evaluated our previously purchased furniture dating back to 2008. For the pieces that I wanted to last, I chose Agati furniture.

Kelly Miller-Martin, Libraries’ Project Lead, Carrier Library Renovation & Expansion
Director of Facilities Operations, James Madison University

Planning a university library renovation? We can help you create spaces that support your goals for independent study and group study. Contact us to discuss your project.

Rows of dark-wood AGATI Williams study carrels beside tall windows at JMU Carrier Library.

Inside Two Virginia University Library Renovations

Designing for Focus and Collaboration: Two Approaches to Library Design

Project Summary: University of Virginia’s Independent Study Solutions

Project Examples: Insights from our Onsite Visit

Privacy-Focused Study Spaces for Healthcare Education

Flexible Study Nooks for Individual Focus and Study Partners

Hampton Nook Duos Adapt to the Changing Needs of Health Sciences Students

Single Study in Large Open Space

Designed for Quiet Refuge and Focus

Project Summary: James Madison University’s Group Study Solutions

Project Examples: Insights from our Onsite Visit

One Timeless Table Style Connects Two Eras

A Group Study Table Designed to Give Space Back to Students

Custom Etta Table Creates a Shared Study Destination

Grand Reading Room: A Modern Home for Print Collections

Keeping Books Close to Students

Carrier Library’s Experience With AGATI Furniture

Furniture That Earned Its Place in the Next Renovation

You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability.