What’s the Best Spot in Shannon Library?

Student Experience

What’s the Best Spot in Shannon Library?

April 3, 2024 • By Alice Berry, aberry@virginia.edu Alice Berry, aberry@virginia.edu

The grand opening of Shannon Library is full of festivities, running from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday. (Photo by Tom Daly)

With five floors, millions of books, a new cafe and more, we’ll forgive you if you haven’t had a chance to fully explore the recently renovated Edgar Shannon Library at the University of Virginia.

It’s hard to know where to begin. A makerspace outfitted with a 3D printer and sewing machines? New study spaces? A lounge reserved for graduate students?

, with an open house starting at noon, featuring , and remarks from University President Jim Ryan, Board of Visitors Vice Rector Carlos Brown, University Librarian John Unsworth, state Sen. Creigh Deeds and others at 4 p.m. To prepare for the grand opening, UVA Today turned to some of the people who know the reborn library best – its student workers – to find out where the best spots in Shannon are, get some study tips and learn what to order from the new café, Saxbys.

Discovery and Innovation: Daily research. Life-changing results.

Margaret Ennen – Fourth-Year Student

Hometown: Chesapeake

Major: English

(Photo by Erin Edgerton, University Communications)

Favorite spot in Shannon: I love the Reference Room. It’s really light and bright; there’s lots of space to spread out, and I can look outside and see the Rotunda.

Best study tip: It helps to talk about the subject matter with a friend.

Go-to Saxbys order: I really like their iced chai latte.

Finn Trainer – Second-Year Student

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Favorite spot in Shannon: The second-floor study courts. The natural light is just beautiful, and before the renovation the courtyards used to be inaccessible to patrons.

Go-to Saxbys order: I get the three-cheese grilled cheese, and if I’m feeling fancy I get an iced matcha latte.

(Photo by Erin Edgerton, University Communications)

What do you wish people knew about Shannon?: I wish they understood more of the history behind it. It’s been the main library for decades now, so a ton of history has happened here, and a lot of that is embedded in the construction itself.