Howe Library
🏢 Howe Library Corporation · Hanover, New Hampshire
Howe Library
Founded in 1899 when local heir Emily Hitchcock Howe deeded a historic Hanover house to the town for a public library, the Howe Library has expanded your world for more than a century — now with seven-day service, a Ledyard Gallery, museum passes, and a robust digital collection including Libby, Kanopy and hoopla.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–7pm |
| Thursday | 9am–7pm |
| Friday | 12pm–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | 12pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 13 South Street, Hanover, NH 03755
Phone: (603) 643-4120
Website: thehowe.org
Plus Code: 87M9MPX7+R7 (Hanover, NH)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Howe Library
The Howe Library at 13 South Street is Hanover, New Hampshire's public library, serving a Grafton County college town that is home to Dartmouth College. Its origins trace to 1899, when Emily Hitchcock Howe — born in 1853 and inheriting an 1773 house first erected by Dartmouth founder Eleazar Wheelock — deeded the property to a group of townspeople to serve as a public library. The library officially opened on April 7, 1900. In 1975 the town assumed operating responsibility and a new building was constructed on town-owned land. Today the library is governed by the Howe Library Corporation, a 501(c)(3) with roughly 300 elected members who fund core services and programs. The collection includes books, DVDs, audiobooks, magazines and an extensive digital offering. Distinctive spaces include the Ledyard Gallery for art exhibitions and meeting and study rooms. The library offers museum passes, a Library of Things, proctoring services and programming ranging from a Memory Cafe for adults with dementia to book clubs spanning sci-fi, horror, poetry and the works of Sherlock Holmes.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded 1899 by Emily Hitchcock Howe in a historic building first erected in 1773 by Dartmouth founder Eleazar Wheelock
- Current building opened December 9, 1975 — built on town-owned land after the town assumed operating responsibility
- Ledyard Gallery hosts rotating art and cultural exhibitions open to the community
- Museum passes, Library of Things and proctoring service for remote exams
- Open seven days a week, including Sunday afternoons and weekday evenings until 7 pm
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Howe Library cardholders can stream, download and research free through New Hampshire's statewide and library collections:
📚 Services
- Museum passes to New England cultural institutions
- Library of Things — tools, games, outdoor gear and more
- Ledyard Gallery for rotating art and cultural exhibitions
- Proctoring services for remote exams
- Public computers, printing & free Wi-Fi
- Meeting and study rooms
- NHAIS interlibrary loan
- Memory Cafe for individuals with dementia and their care partners
🎸 Programs
- Book clubs: sci-fi, horror, poetry, Shakespeare and Sherlock Holmes
- Chess Club & Dungeons and Dragons
- French Club and language conversation groups
- Memory Cafe — monthly social and cognitive program
- Writing workshops and groups
- Summer Reading Program
- Music and art programs
- Whimsy Foraging and nature outings
📍 Nearby Libraries in New Hampshire
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Hanover · Browse all New Hampshire libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Howe Library get its name?
The library is named for Emily Hitchcock Howe (1853–1912), who in 1899 deeded her family's historic property at 13 South Street — a house dating to 1773 — to a group of Hanover residents to use as a public library. The library opened officially on April 7, 1900. When Howe died in 1912 she left a substantial bequest that funded new cataloguing and services.
What is the Ledyard Gallery at the Howe Library?
The Ledyard Gallery is an exhibition space inside the Howe Library that hosts rotating art shows and cultural displays. It is open to the public during library hours and has featured local artists as well as traveling exhibitions.
Does the Howe Library offer museum passes?
Yes. The library offers museum passes to area cultural institutions through the Friends and community support. Ask at the circulation desk or check the library website for a current list of available passes and reservation details.
Is the Howe Library open on weekends and Sundays?
Yes. The Howe Library is open seven days a week. Saturday hours are 10 am–5 pm; Sunday hours are 12 pm–5 pm. Weekday hours are 9 am–7 pm Monday through Thursday, and 12 pm–5 pm on Friday.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
📚 This library has study rooms. See how library study rooms work — booking, time limits and quiet vs group rooms — and find other libraries with study rooms libraries with study rooms by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.