The Second Floor of James Branch Cabell Library opened for the 2010-11 academic year and immediately set records for use by students. VCU Libraries, VCU Technology Services and the Office of the Provost partnered to create the Commons, a significant expansion to student academic work space that offers a state-of-the-art study and computing environment.

Created for Collaboration

The Cabell Second Floor is designed for the way students study and learn and create today. This highly collaborative work environment provides new group study rooms, reconfigurable furniture and work areas, dry boards, flexible workstations, all
enriched byinformation technology.

A Much-Needed Boost for Student Academic Life

With a much-needed new library building still five or more years away, the Cabell Second Floor helps meet the intensifying need for student academic space and will better support the 2 million annual student visits to VCU's library facilities. The Second Floor offers many ways for individuals or groups to work individually or together, drawing on the knowledge resources offered by the VCU Libraries with full support for the electronic devices and collaboration that mark contemporary student academic work.