I’m sure everyone on campus has been to D.H. Hill Jr. Library at least once. Maybe it was on a tour before you were accepted to NC State, or maybe you’re in there every night, studying until dawn. Regardless, you know Hill is the go-to, classic NC State library.
I’d say it’s the best library on campus, but Hunt Library isn’t even on main campus, so there’s not much competition for that title.
Hill has one of the best places to study and work: the bookstacks. Head to any of the floors above the third and you’ll find ample, quiet study spaces. It feels like exactly what you expect when you think of a library. The bookstacks at Hill are almost whimsical places to work and browse the titles of books you’ll never read.
Most places to work in Hunt look like a dystopian office space. Quite a few of the areas in Hunt seem solely designed to place you, and at least a hundred other people, in front of a desk. While this can also be argued about the base floors of Hill, you’re still surrounded by books, lighting and seating that add color and character, and the spaces of isolation aren’t nearly as big.
The closest thing you get to the bookstacks at Hunt is the bookBot, i.e., not a study space. With a name like the bookBot, you might imagine a cute robot that guides you through the library and gently climbs shelves to retrieve your books. That is not at all the case.
Imagine an awkward shelf that moves across stacked, book-sized shipping containers. At least at Hill you can physically find the location of the books you want.
Not only does Hill have superior study spaces, but it’s also in a more convenient location. If you live on campus, you probably live on main campus, since Centennial Campus only has four places to live. Maybe you like the idea of feeling stranded in a library that you can’t escape until you finish your work. But maybe it’s also nice to have one within walking distance from classes and living.
The furthest place you could live from Hill on main campus is Wolf Village. While it is about a 20 minute walk, there is a direct Wolfline route that takes 10 minutes. Still, most students probably live closer.
Going to Hill also gives you the added benefit of access to Hillsborough Street. If you need a break from studying, you can walk for five minutes and go get a bite to eat. If nothing on Hillsborough Street sounds good, you can head down to the Atrium as well.
Not hungry? Take a quick walk around the Court of North Carolina or by the Hillsborough side of Kilgore and Scott Hall where all the plants are.
An especially underrated aspect of Hill is the Exhibit Gallery. The current exhibit is on women’s history at NC State and the prior was on the 100 year anniversary of Technician. While small, the exhibits are always polished and informative. There’s also a little section where you can sit and see the Brickyard, which is nice when it isn’t plagued by rampant construction. If you haven’t been, definitely check it out.
While neither of these libraries are winning the sexiest building on campus title, Hunt doesn’t get points for trying. Hill is a brick tower, but the view from Hillsborough Street offers a nice preview of the building and fills out the lawn space with tables and chairs. Hunt looks like tacky aliens landed their ship there and the architects made it work. It feels like it’s supposed to look like something, though I’m not sure what.
It feels like Hunt wants to be the cornerstone library of NC State. In reality, it’s the new kid on the block, and it’s trying way too hard. Hill is a classic, widely accessible library that has stood the test of time. Hill Library has earned its title of Best Library.
