This is the university library which is a member of the Association of Research Libraries. It is ranked among the top 120 research libraries in North America and is a significant educational and cultural resource in the community.
The original building was designed by Nolan, Norman, and Nolan and opened in 1968. In 1938, the Howard Library, the Tilton Library, and the Newcomb College Library merged to create the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, which was originally located in Joseph Merrick Jones Hall.
Two new floors were added to Howard Tilton in 2015. The fifth floor houses general collections and government documents. The sixth floor houses media, music, art, architecture, newspapers, and rare book collections.