UNC-Chapel Hill has closed one of its largest libraries for renovations, and is preparing to close another for construction projects.

The Walter Royal Davis Library, UNC’s “central library” and one of its largest indoor spaces on campus, will close from June 1 until July 12 for construction projects. The R.B. House Undergraduate Library is closed until 2027 for a significant renovation project.

“Most services will remain available during the closures, and other Library locations will maintain regular summer hours,” a post from UNC Libraries reads. “If you are looking for a place to study during the renovations, you can search other Library spaces or explore the campus study space map.”

Construction in Davis Library will consist of repairing terrazzo flooring, as well as adding new carpeting, paint and furniture. UNC’s ITS Classroom Hotline staff will also move into a new space at Davis Library. The group helps maintain and fix technical and audio-visual equipment in classrooms across campus. The post states this move will not take away from current student seating or public space.

The university first closed the R.B House Undergraduate Library for renovations on May 8. It will remain closed for the entirety of the summer of 2026, as well as the 2026 fall semester. Once construction at Davis Library is complete, the undergraduate library will temporarily relocate most of its services to the larger building.

One of the university’s primary goals is moving the Writing and Learning center, which serves first-generation and transfer students, from its current home on South Campus to the upper level of the undergraduate library. Other changes include an improved Media & Design Center, new study rooms, and an updated aesthetic for the entire building.

“Moving the Writing and Learning Center and the other programs of the Center for Student Success to the Undergraduate Library gives students a single and centrally located home for core services that help them succeed at Carolina,” a FAQ page on the renovation reads. “Throughout the building, you’ll find a combination of new and classic UL furniture; an updated, modern aesthetic; and collections and services dedicated to student learning and success.”

During the downtime for both libraries, students can browse UNC’s online catalog and schedule books to be delivered to a separate campus library of their choice.

 

Featured image via Aaron Keck/Chapel Hill Media Group.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC SafeWalk Program Keeps Evolving After 13 Years of Service
Between the hours of 8pm and 2am, SafeWalk employees will accompany UNC students to wherever they are headed next, within a 2-mile radius Davis Library.
UNC Police Receive Report of Rape, Search for Suspect
Editor’s Note: The following story contains mention of sexual assault that may be disturbing to some readers. The UNC Police Department alerted the campus community to a report of a rape on Monday afternoon, saying a suspect is being sought and is not apprehended. Through an Alert Carolina message issued at 5:37 p.m., campus investigators […]
UNC Experimenting With Study Zones in Davis Library
This semester, UNC is launching a pilot project within Davis Library which will establish three types of study zones. The building’s eight floors will be designated according to “expected noise level,” according to the university. The first floor and part of the second floor facing Hamilton Hall will be designated as a “Collaborative Study Zone.” […]
UNC Seeking Community Feedback on Forest Theatre Amid Renovation Plans
UNC and the North Carolina Botanical Garden are seeking community feedback about the future of the Koch Memorial Forest Theatre, as the facility faces millions of dollars in renovations. The Forest Theatre is a stone amphitheater located on the edge of UNC’s campus off Country Club Road. It recently celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019. […]
UNC Clarifies Mask Enforcement, Updates Sanitation Measures and Library Services
UNC officials provided the campus community further updates this week as it prepare for the start of a fall semester now less than one month away. On its Carolina Together website detailing campus operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, UNC recently revealed official university guidelines on physical distancing and the use of face coverings. As described […]
Department of Education Resolves Complaint Against UNC Over Anti-Semitic Concert
UNC shared the resolution of the complaint filed to the Department of Education over the university’s spending on a March conference that featured an anti-Semitic musical performance on Monday. The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights examined the university’s spending on a three-day conference about the Middle East after controversy arose following a musical […]
UNC Police Investigating Anti-Semitic Posters in Davis Library
UNC Police are investigating after “several anti-Semitic posters” were found on bookshelves and tables in Davis Library. “I am extremely disappointed and appalled that anyone would write these abhorrent messages and direct them toward members of our Jewish community,” interim chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz wrote in a message to the campus community. “This behavior conflicts with […]
Arts Everywhere Brings Noise, Dancing to UNC's Davis Library
Davis Library was quiet around noon on Tuesday. Students were working, or seemed to be at least, to make up for lost time after a snowstorm dropped about a foot of snow on the campus last week and canceled nearly three full days of classes. But those studious eyes were pried away from textbooks and […]
UNC Announces New University Librarian and Vice Provost
UNC has selected Elaine L. Westbrooks as its new University Librarian and Vice Provost for University Libraries. The decision has been approved by the University’s Board of Trustees, and will come into effect August 15. Prior to coming to Chapel Hill, Westbrooks was the Associate University Librarian for Research at the University of Michigan in […]
UNC Officials Discuss Surgical Towers and Campus Development
Plans for new surgical towers at UNC Hospitals were presented by university representatives to the Chapel Hill Town Council during a business meeting held earlier in the week. The presentation was made by Anna Wu, the associate vice chancellor for facilities services, who noted that the proposed location of the towers has been modified. “The […]
›