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The Health Sciences Library moves in 2026-27

Illustration by Jeff Bland

Updates

Common Questions 

Is the Health Sciences Library closing permanently? No. It will close for a brief period to move furniture, equipment and personnel from the existing building at 509 N. 12th St. to the Hunton Student Center.

Why is the library moving? The Health Sciences Library is moving to accommodate the construction of a new clinical tower for the VCU Medical Center. Stories from the February 18, 2026, edition of the Richmond Times Dispatch Text from A1 | A6 with a Diagram details the plans at that time. VCU Health has been firm that the Health Sciences Library building must be vacated by July 2027. The library should be fully operational in Hunton by summer 2027.

Where is Hunton? The Hunton Student Center is on the MCV Campus at the intersection of Broad and North 12th Streets. The building opened in 1841 as the First Baptist Church. The last renovation that converted it into a student center was completed in 2005. 

How much study space, seating for student study use will there be and how much of the collection will be available there?

Approximately 170 seats will be available for student use in the renovated Hunton Student Center. There are six group study rooms that will be available for reservations. Two shelving ranges will hold 500-1,000 of the most highly used monographs. Library users will retain access to expansive digital collections and be able to recall materials from storage. The Makerspace equipment will be relocated to Hunton as will current loanable equipment.

When will the move happen? 

The timeline to move to Hunton has not been set. Planning is well underway. Plans are in place for general collection moves to offsite storage at the State Records Center. Special Collections and Archives materials at the Health Sciences Library will be stored temporarily before moving to the Special Collections and Archives expansion at Cabell Library. As of spring 2026, libraries leadership is working with an interior designer and architect on renovations to Hunton.  

Will there be public access to the Health Sciences Library at Hunton? Yes, and non-VCU affiliated healthcare providers and members of the public will be able to visit with appointments. Details have yet to be worked out. 

Will this move impact the operations of the Health and Wellness Library? No. The consumer health library in the Gateway Building will continue to serve patients, their families and healthcare providers. 

Will there be a gender-inclusive restroom? Yes, the first-floor men’s room will be converted to a lockable, single-person restroom. It is also accessible.