The Warren Hunting Smith Library opened in 1976, symbolically occupying the location on campus which most binds Hobart College and William Smith College together.
The library is home to two large classrooms, the Geneva Room and Sanford Room, plus one of the campus's microcomputer labs. AV/Media Services dwell in its basement, along with the Colleges' archives and a mummy (yes, a mummy).
The Geneva and Sanford Rooms were built in 1976 with the library. The Geneva Room was funded through the generosity of alumni, alumnae and friends of the Colleges in Geneva. The Sanford Room was named for the late Judge Nelson P. Sanford (1899), attorney for Eastman Kodak, and Mrs. Sanford. The Sanford Room seats approximately 120 people, and the Geneva room seats approximately 150. Both rooms are used frequently for visiting speakers. Both rooms are considered Smart classrooms.
In 1997, the library underwent a major renovation. An addition, the L. Thomas Melly Academic Center, was added to its south side. The Melly Center has two Honors study suites, two computing lounges, eight A/V study rooms, a 24-hour study area and a high-technology classroom, among other features. The Center also has a two-story, glass-enclosed atrium that provides space for the Colleges' community to gather and socialize year round.