Libraries: Which colleges have the best?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>A recent post by Keilexandra made me wonder which colleges have the best libraries. </p>

<p>
[quote]
I disagree that all libraries are relatively similar. I've visited over 20 schools and seen at least the outside of 20+ libraries, inside of 90% of them. Vassar/Yale/Rochester go for the marble-Gothic look, but all have these great cozy reading rooms. Haverford's library is just cozy, period. Bryn Mawr's main library is terrible--one of the two obvious entrances involves walking down a rectangular metal stair frame. <--That's a really bad description, but it felt like a "modern" NYC loft kind of staircase. And the rest of the library felt cold, sterile, not comfy at all. Contrast with Oberlin's library, which is really ugly from the outside (plain concrete slabs) but intentionally bright and colorful (and has womb chairs!). I knew Cornell was too big for me when I saw the library--there was this huge study room filled with rows and rows of desk carrels under fluorescent lighting.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm not just talking about size. Include lighting, chair comfort, accessibility, beauty, and anything else you want to add. Be as descriptive and thorough as possible.</p>

<p>Pictures are of course a plus. ;)</p>

2

<p>Boston College’s older library:</p>

<p>interior: <a href=“http://farm1.static.■■■■■■■■■■/229/510107849_081a387338.jpg?v=0[/url]”>http://farm1.static.■■■■■■■■■■/229/510107849_081a387338.jpg?v=0&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>exterior: <a href=“http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/BCburnslawnsunset.jpg&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BCburnslawnsunset.jpg&usg=__gfvK5a8HHI5GR3jkIHKyNjn5asE=&h=816&w=1203&sz=1256&hl=en&start=25&um=1&tbnid=050xWBmPFObuvM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbapst%2Blibrary%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26rlz%3D1I7GGLL_en%26sa%3DN%26start%3D21%26um%3D1[/url]”>http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/BCburnslawnsunset.jpg&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BCburnslawnsunset.jpg&usg=__gfvK5a8HHI5GR3jkIHKyNjn5asE=&h=816&w=1203&sz=1256&hl=en&start=25&um=1&tbnid=050xWBmPFObuvM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbapst%2Blibrary%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26rlz%3D1I7GGLL_en%26sa%3DN%26start%3D21%26um%3D1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If there’s a more inspirational place to study on any campus, I’d like to see it.</p>

3

<p>I don’t know if we have it “best,” but I do live our main library at Wesleyan. Very pretty on the outside:</p>

<p>Front:<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/olinhome/graphics/olinfrnt.gif[/url]”>http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/olinhome/graphics/olinfrnt.gif&lt;/a&gt;
Back: <a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/olinhome/graphics/olinbck1.gif[/url]”>http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/olinhome/graphics/olinbck1.gif&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>And the main reading area inside is beautiful, full of natural light, and has a bunch of big, comfy chairs looking out into the field: <a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/olinhome/graphics/campref.gif[/url]”>http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/olinhome/graphics/campref.gif&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>As you can kind of see in that last picture, another neat feature is that an addition was built on to the back of the library a while ago, making it larger. Instead of renovating, the addition was built AROUND the old library. The brick you see in that picture is actually the exterior of the old library. It looks very cool in person.</p>

4

<p>Google Cornell’s Andrew Dickinson White Libarary</p>

5

<p>…aaannnnddd Duke beats all of them.</p>

<p>Kidding :slight_smile: BC’s looks cool.</p>

6

<p>HC White at UW has a great lakefront site and views.</p>

<p>[UW-Madison</a> > Univ. Comm. > Photo Library](<a href=“http://photos.news.wisc.edu/view.php?id=2222]UW-Madison”>http://photos.news.wisc.edu/view.php?id=2222)</p>

<p>At how many schools can you drive your boat to the library?</p>

7

<p>Here’s a shot of the one at Cornell that bjomountsi09 mentioned : <a href=“http://libecast.library.cornell.edu/uris/images/adwhite3.jpg[/url]”>http://libecast.library.cornell.edu/uris/images/adwhite3.jpg&lt;/a&gt;
Very nice, until the Communist Students Association starts chucking Forbes magazines into the fireplace.</p>

8

<p>"At how many schools can you drive your boat to the library? "</p>

<p>Yeah, for the like two months out of the year that the lake isn’t frozen. Brrrrrrrr</p>

9

<p>I personally liked Oklahoma’s when I visited:
<a href=“http://farm2.static.■■■■■■■■■■/1051/3171628501_75be574e32.jpg[/url]”>http://farm2.static.■■■■■■■■■■/1051/3171628501_75be574e32.jpg&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://3.media.■■■■■■■■■■/oGz4k08d5ojnmnaq4411LUlNo1_500.jpg[/url]”>http://3.media.■■■■■■■■■■/oGz4k08d5ojnmnaq4411LUlNo1_500.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>The lake does not usually freeze over until around Christmas and the ice breaks in early April so you have about 3 mos frozen and 9 unfrozen. With global warming it could be none soon. :wink: </p>

<p><a href=“Wisconsin State Climatology Office”>Wisconsin State Climatology Office;

11

<p>We’ve seen 13 colleges this year. Of those, Dickinson’s library wins hands down.</p>

12

<p>Nice information so far. I like the expansion at Wesleyan and the lake at Wisconsin. Keep it up, guys!</p>

<p>DougBetsy- Could you elaborate?</p>

13

<p>I haven’t seen Dickinson’s library, but this photo makes it look kind of drab and old fashioned: [Google</a> Image Result for <a href=“http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/studentwork/peopleplace/boslerlib1903crop.jpg[/url]”>http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/studentwork/peopleplace/boslerlib1903crop.jpg](<a href=“http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/studentwork/peopleplace/boslerlib1903crop.jpg&imgrefurl=http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/studentwork/peopleplace/bosler.htm&usg=__NjoL-eN8lnbIwAgVgZa5p-Jp7VA=&h=642&w=671&sz=133&hl=en&start=12&um=1&tbnid=6-7YTsQrAcT3TM:&tbnh=132&tbnw=138&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddickinson%2Bcollege%2Blibrary%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26rlz%3D1I7GGLL_en%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1]Google”>http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/studentwork/peopleplace/boslerlib1903crop.jpg&imgrefurl=http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/studentwork/peopleplace/bosler.htm&usg=__NjoL-eN8lnbIwAgVgZa5p-Jp7VA=&h=642&w=671&sz=133&hl=en&start=12&um=1&tbnid=6-7YTsQrAcT3TM:&tbnh=132&tbnw=138&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddickinson%2Bcollege%2Blibrary%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26rlz%3D1I7GGLL_en%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1)</a></p>

14

<p>UCLA’s Powell Library is gorgeous</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/division/srm/srm/powell2.jpg[/url]”>http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/division/srm/srm/powell2.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://farm1.static.■■■■■■■■■■/164/431721517_4970025b87.jpg?v=0[/url]”>http://farm1.static.■■■■■■■■■■/164/431721517_4970025b87.jpg?v=0&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://image09.webshots.com/9/7/21/19/109372119KQPbCX_fs.jpg[/url]”>http://image09.webshots.com/9/7/21/19/109372119KQPbCX_fs.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://farm4.static.■■■■■■■■■■/3515/3267974921_b4b9fe74b4.jpg?v=1234241670[/url]”>http://farm4.static.■■■■■■■■■■/3515/3267974921_b4b9fe74b4.jpg?v=1234241670&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://www.magazine.ucla.edu/depts/happenings/ballroom-530.jpg[/url]”>http://www.magazine.ucla.edu/depts/happenings/ballroom-530.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://www2.library.ucla.edu/development/images/50.jpg[/url]”>http://www2.library.ucla.edu/development/images/50.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

15

<p>The main U of Toronto library is possibly the ugliest building ever built, anywhere:</p>

<p>[Google</a> Image Result for <a href=“http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/brutalism_01.jpg[/url]”>http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/brutalism_01.jpg](<a href=“http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/brutalism_01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.raisethehammer.org/article/97&usg=__xnkzrCbVCxT8JSOnQ3tncX4zLBg=&h=300&w=449&sz=127&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=nBlVyNgtGkkKtM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRobarts%2Blibrary%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26rlz%3D1I7GGLL_en%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1]Google”>http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/brutalism_01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.raisethehammer.org/article/97&usg=__xnkzrCbVCxT8JSOnQ3tncX4zLBg=&h=300&w=449&sz=127&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=nBlVyNgtGkkKtM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRobarts%2Blibrary%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26rlz%3D1I7GGLL_en%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1)</a></p>

<p><a href=“http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://image57.webshots.com/457/7/24/7/2203724070060458633FaLLda_fs.jpg&imgrefurl=http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2203724070060458633FaLLda&usg=__IbJISnMIbqUmWlyvG8SGl0cB0DE=&h=966&w=1288&sz=224&hl=en&start=13&um=1&tbnid=Z7XKBHvUmr1NyM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRobarts%2Blibrary%2Bpeacock%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26rlz%3D1I7GGLL_en%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1[/url]”>http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://image57.webshots.com/457/7/24/7/2203724070060458633FaLLda_fs.jpg&imgrefurl=http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2203724070060458633FaLLda&usg=__IbJISnMIbqUmWlyvG8SGl0cB0DE=&h=966&w=1288&sz=224&hl=en&start=13&um=1&tbnid=Z7XKBHvUmr1NyM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRobarts%2Blibrary%2Bpeacock%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26rlz%3D1I7GGLL_en%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>It’s meant to look like a gigantic peacock.</p>

16

<p>Dukes library is downright orgasmic.
They have these soundproof rooms where you cam study and all sorts of flat screen tvs</p>

17

<p>“Dukes library is downright orgasmic.
They have these soundproof rooms”</p>

<p>With all those orgasms going on, it BETTER have some soundproof rooms.</p>

18

<p>For sheer size, Harvard.
For design, I like Middlebury’s new library.
For ambiance, Haverford’s is nice.</p>

<p>For the real bibliophile, Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book Library.</p>

19

<p>i third duke’s library. FDGSFGDHHFAHFHDA i have decided to live in that place, no lie.</p>

20

<p>The Williams College Sawyer Library has got to be the worst, and it is as bad inside as out.</p>

<p>[Image</a> Viewer](<a href=“http://www.berkshireeagle.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=1493474]Image”>http://www.berkshireeagle.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=1493474)</p>