Designed by Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge of Boston

English Renaissance Style

20 Prospect Street, Box A, Providence RI  02912

Library web site:  http://dl.lib.brown.edu/libweb/about/hay/

A Brief History of the Building

1905:  Andrew Carnegie gave $150,000 to Brown University to build the library.

1910:  The library opened in November, serving as the main library of the university.  It was named for John Hay ((1838-1905), a member of the Class of 1858.  He served as the private secretary to Abraham Lincoln and was later named Secretary of State.

1921:  A donated bust of Dante was placed on the front lawn, in honor of the 600th anniversary of his death.

1964:  The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library opened across the street and assumed main library status.

The John Hay Library now houses rare books and manuscripts, special collections, and the University Archives.