North Carolina Colleges & Universities
Top college and university libraries in North Carolina
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.
Wilson LibraryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Completed in 1929, the Louis Round Wilson Library served as the University of North Carolina's main library until 1984 and now houses special collections. Its North Carolina Collection is the largest collection concerning a single state in the nation, and the Southern Historical Collection documents the American South through more than 15 million items. The library is named for Louis Round Wilson, the university's first librarian.
Duke University LibrariesDuke University
Duke University Libraries collectively hold some 8.9 million volumes, and the collection contains 17.7 million manuscripts. The system includes the William R. Perkins Library and Bostock Library on West Campus and the Lilly Library and Music Library on East Campus.
David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript LibraryDuke University
The David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library holds more than 350,000 rare books, 10,000 manuscript collections, and extensive collections of photography, film and audio. Its research centers offer grants and fellowships to fund travel for researchers whose work would benefit from access to its collections.
James B. Hunt Jr. LibraryNorth Carolina State University
Designed by the architecture firm Snøhetta, the James B. Hunt Jr. Library opened in 2013 on NC State's Centennial Campus and was featured in Time magazine as the Library of the Future. Its bookBot, an automated storage and retrieval system, requires one-ninth the space of conventional shelving, and the building won the AIA/ALA Library Buildings Award.
Z. Smith Reynolds LibraryWake Forest University
The Z. Smith Reynolds Library opened in 1956 as the main library of Wake Forest University, and its Wilson Wing was added in 1991. It holds over 1.2 million volumes and is open 138 hours per week, plus two 24/7 study rooms.
The most beautiful college library in North Carolina
Wilson LibraryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Architect Arthur Cleveland Nash, with William Kendall of McKim, Mead & White, designed Wilson Library as a neo-classical building in the Beaux-Arts style. Its dome rises 85 feet over the university's South Quadrangle. The building opened on October 19, 1929, ten days before the stock market crashed.
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 North Carolina
The higher education system in North Carolina can be broken down into the following categories: one large public university system, more than 15 liberal arts colleges, 35 private universities and colleges and a community college system with about 60 different community colleges. Located on the East Coast of the United States, there are many different varied opportunities for students who wish to study in the state of North Carolina.
The University of North Carolina System is the system that encompasses all state-run universities. There are more than 15 different campuses within the system, with the flagship campus being the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This university, often referred to as UNC Chapel Hill, was founded in 1789 and the first students began attending classes in 1795. UNC Chapel Hill is one of three different schools in the United States that can lay claim to being one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the country. Students who go to UNC Chapel Hill today can choose from more than 70 different degree programs. Prominent alumni include former U.S. President James K. Polk and Vice President William R. King.
The largest university in North Carolina is North Carolina State University, which is also a part of the University of North Carolina System. It was originally founded as a land-grant university but it is now also a sea-grant and space-grant institution. It is considered to be one of the main research schools in the state, along with UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University. With more than 100 different degree programs available, North Carolina State is most known for its programs in textiles, design, life sciences and agriculture. The university has also produced several notable alumni included former United States politician John Edwards and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
Duke University is another well known university in the state, and makes up a corner of the Research Triangle along with NC State and UNC Chapel Hill. The difference between Duke and these other two research schools is the fact that Duke is a private university. Duke was founded in 1838 and is currently located in Durham, North Carolina. It is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the country, and is known for its prestigious academic programs that are broken down into arts and sciences programs and engineering programs. Most students enroll in programs that are a part of the arts and sciences school.