New Hampshire Colleges & Universities
Top college and university libraries in New Hampshire
These college and university libraries stand out for their collections, special collections and archives. Public access varies, so each entry says how visitors can use the library.
Dartmouth LibraryDartmouth College
The Baker-Berry Library is Dartmouth's main library. Its lower level holds José Clemente Orozco's fresco The Epic of American Civilization, a National Historic Landmark. The Dartmouth College libraries hold over 2 million volumes.
Rauner Special Collections LibraryDartmouth College
Housed in Webster Hall, built in 1907 as the college's campus auditorium, the Rauner Special Collections Library opened in 1998 as Dartmouth's primary special collections and archival library. It holds 140,000 rare books, millions of manuscripts and the archives of Dartmouth College.
Dimond LibraryUniversity of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire's main Dimond Library has three quiet study reading rooms and seating for 1,200, and visitors enter it on the third floor. The University Library also includes three science libraries.
Geisel LibrarySaint Anselm College
Saint Anselm College broke ground on Geisel Library in 1959 after a gift from Manchester businessman Joseph Geisel, and it opened in the fall of 1960. Two expansions, in 1973 and 1992, enlarged the library to three floors and over 60,000 square feet housing over 200,000 books.
The most beautiful college library in New Hampshire
Baker Memorial LibraryDartmouth College
Dartmouth's Fisher Ames Baker Memorial Library opened in 1928 with a collection of 240,000 volumes. Designed by Jens Fredrick Larson and modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia, its tower stands 200 feet above campus and is often used as an iconic representation of the college. The Berry Library, designed by Robert Venturi, joins it to form the Baker-Berry Library.
Last verified: November 2, 2026. Visitor rules, hours and borrowing policies change, so check the library's website before you go.
About colleges and universities in New Hampshire
As it is situated in the heart of New England, the state of New Hampshire might be tiny in terms of area but it has plenty of higher education options for students to choose from. Within its 9,300 square miles, there are 23 different colleges and universities, all of which are accredited institutions of higher learning that offer two-year, four-year and graduate-level degrees. In addition to the universities that operate in New Hampshire, four out-of-state universities have extension locations in this state.
The University System of New Hampshire manages the five public universities in the state, making it the largest provider of higher education in the state of New Hampshire. More than 15,000 students attend the University of New Hampshire, which is the flagship campus of the system. Its central campus is located in Durham, but there also is an extension campus located in Manchester. The University of New Hampshire stands out because it is a land, sea and space grant institution, and is only one of 9 other universities who have that unique distinction. The university has long been known for its academic programs, and has even been hailed as one of the most sustainable universities in the country. Some famous graduates from the University of New Hampshire include New Hampshire Governor John Lynch, actor James Broderick and Pulitzer Prize Winner Barbara Walsh. Other universities included in the University System of New Hampshire are Plymouth State University, Keene State College and Granite State College.
New Hampshire is also home to an Ivy League school, Dartmouth College. The Ivy League is likely known as the most prestigious set of universities in the country, all of them private schools and the majority of them located in New England. Dartmouth College is a private research university, and its campus is located in Hanover, New Hampshire. Dartmouth was one of the nine Colonial Colleges that was founded before the American Revolution began. It was later established in 1769. It is an intimate school with an enrollment of just more than 4,000 students. It is the smallest campus in the Ivy League. The campus is located in a rural area of New Hampshire, providing a brotherhood to many of the students who attend there. Participation in athletics is high, as is the participation in Greek Life. Tradition is an important part of campus life at Dartmouth, and students take these traditions seriously.