UVA’s Best Libraries

The music library is located in Old Cabell Hall underneath the auditorium. Right on Central Grounds, I have found it to be a perfect location for studying in between classes when there’s not enough time to go back to the dorm/apartment. It feels like you’re in the basement, but personally, I love the high ceilings and unique architecture of the room. If you keep going down, the lower level has very tight stacks of books which makes it really cozy to study in between all of the shelves. Since it is a round building, this library is pretty unique and is fun to go exploring through. Furthermore, Rising Roll is just through the courtyard into New Cabell Hall, so you don’t have to go far for a snack or pick-me-up coffee. 

This one is a classic. It is hard to beat the grand entrance with murals and a skylight that makes the hallway look like a museum. The first floor is good for group studying and if you’re lucky enough to find an empty pod seat for some productive isolation. Since this library is so big, I love to go down a floor and into the “stacks” to do work at the lower levels. It feels more quiet and cozy compared to the big open rooms of the first floor, and you are more likely to get a desk space to yourself.

For all you first years and RAs out there, this might be a good one to keep in mind. It’s located on the third floor in the Physics building near McCormick road dorms. Despite being no bigger than two small classrooms put together, it’s actually really nice. The back room is picturesque with some tables and comfy chairs placed among tall stacks of books. Pick up some food truck dumplings or a Castle salad on your way over and it’s perfect. The Physics library is a relatively quiet space, and I can definitely say that titles about quantum field theory or biophysical chemistry inspire me to study!

If you are lucky enough to stumble upon this room in the basement of Kerchof Hall (behind Brown Library), you are most likely going to have the entire space to yourself. Books line the walls around a total of four chairs at a table with three more comfy seats for working in. That’s it. I was fairly certain first year that I was the only non-math major who knew about this space. It’s slightly out of the way, but if you need peace and quiet, I highly recommend you seek it out.

I couldn’t give a list of my favorite UVA libraries without including this one. The Rotunda, while it does have study spaces, is not really the place I would recommend you go if you need to get work done. People are constantly coming in and out so it’s really for the novelty of it if you choose to study there. But it is definitely worth checking out simply for its history and gorgeous view from the top floor. There is something to be said about studying in such an iconic structure of the University’s original library.