Emergency crews from Amherst responded to a fire alarm at the WEB Du Bois Library this evening (August 25, 2025).
According to one of the emergency responders who spoke to Amherst Now, there was no fire, but smoke from a ‘mechanical failure’ which triggered the alarm.
Crews arrived on the scene just before 8pm.
PHOTOS: Emergency crews respond to a fire alarm at W.E.B. Du Bois Library at UMass Amherst.
About the W.E.B. Du Bois Library
The W.E.B. Du Bois Library at UMass Amherst is the tallest academic research library in the world, standing at 28 stories and 286.5 feet tall. Opened in 1973 and dedicated in 1974, its striking Brutalist design by Edward Durell Stone quickly made it one of the most recognizable landmarks in Western Massachusetts.
The library houses over 4 million titles and more than 9 million individual items, including extensive online collections such as 200,000+ journals, 1.7 million+ e‑books, and a vast array of databases.
In 1994, the library was renamed in honor of W.E.B. Du Bois, the civil rights pioneer and scholar whose personal papers are preserved at UMass.
Today, it not only provides research resources but also serves as a hub for interdisciplinary scholarship through the W.E.B. Du Bois Center. From its top floors, students and visitors enjoy panoramic views of the Pioneer Valley, making the library both a symbol of academic achievement and a cultural landmark.
See this beautiful picture of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library from just a few days ago.
