The Bryant Library: A History

Last Friday, November 14th, 2025, the Krupp Library was thrilled to host namesake Douglas S. Krupp '69, '89H for a visit and tour. In anticipation of his campus visit, we at the library created an exhibit highlighting the history of Bryant University's libraries, from their earliest beginnings to today. Please enjoy this journey through libraries past—and don't forget to stop by and see the exhibit for yourself too!

The Bryant Library: A History

Pt. I: The Bryant-Stratton Reference Library

Approx. 1925 - 1935

Beginning in 1925, Bryant, then called the Bryant & Stratton Rhode Island Commercial School, operated out of the Gardner Building on Fountain Street in downtown Providence. This campus housed the Bryant-Stratton Reference Library, the first iteration of the Bryant Library.

The Reference Library was catalogued by an expert from the Providence Public Library. It contained reference books about business and related topics. When the college moved to the East Side campus in 1935, the Reference Library was dismantled.

Pt. II: The Henry L. Jacobs Library, Benevolent Street

1955 - 1958

Between 1935 and 1955, there was no dedicated library at Bryant. Instead, small collections of books were tucked into borrowed corners of academic buildings on the East Side Campus in Providence.

Hoping to create an official business library, the college purchased an old fire station on Benevolent Street in 1951 and began remodeling. Meanwhile, the newly-formed Student Senate Library Fund held dances, sports events, and “stunt nights” to raise money for book purchases. They raised $2200, roughly equivalent to $27,000 today.

The library was named for Henry L. Jacobs, who served as the college’s president from 1916 until his retirement in 1961. It officially opened its doors in 1955, captained by Bryant's first official College Librarian, Dorothy Keith.

Pt. III: The Henry L. Jacobs Library, Jacobs Hall

1958 - 1961

As Bryant grew, Vice President and son of Henry Jacobs, E. Gardner Jacobs, began a campaign to earn accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). One hurdle was the library. Its collection was too small and too limited to be approved by NEASC.

So Gardner designed a new building himself and oversaw its construction. Jacobs Hall, also named for his father, opened in 1958. The library lived on the first floor and the second housed a dining hall.

The new space was much larger, accommodating  three typing classrooms and 10,000 books. The collection also grew to offer more than just business texts, a reflection of Bryant’s developing liberal arts programs. It was a “business library” no longer—now, it was a college library.

Pt. IV: The Henry L. Jacobs Library, Hope Street

1961 - 1971

The Jacobs Hall library was bigger than the Benevolent Street library, but it was not big enough for NEASC. So Gardner, now college President, purchased the Simonds Homestead mansion on Hope Street in 1961. The Jacobs library relocated one more time that summer, into the building that would keep it for the rest of its tenure.

The former mansion boasted plenty of space, and grew even more with the construction of a 5000 square foot addition in 1962. Thanks to this and other improvements, Bryant College finally received NEASC accreditation in 1964. In 1968, Bryant hired its first Director of Library Services, John Hannon.

The Hope Street library served the college well until 1970, when Bryant moved from the Providence East Side Campus to the modern-day Tupper Campus in Smithfield. A new library was planned as part of the Unistructure. Hannon was heavily involved in the design process, hoping to help make the best iteration of the library yet.

Part V: The Edith M. Hodgson Memorial Library

1971 - 2002

The new three-story library opened alongside the rest of the Unistructure in 1971. It was designed to be open and welcoming, with comfortable furniture, bright walls and designated “talking zones” for students to utilize for group work and socializing. It was expanded with the Unistructure in the early 1980s.

Throughout his tenure, Hannon prioritized keeping the library on the cutting edge of tech. He and his team joined OCLC in 1973 and began developing an online catalog, “Brycat,” in 1983. It was completed in 1986, making the Bryant Library one of the first in New England to have a fully online catalog. 

For a while, this iteration of the library was referred to only as "The Bryant Library." This changed in 1978. A push to improve development activities in the late 70s resulted in record fundraising highs. Dr. Percy Hodgson, ‘68H, gave a $250,000 commemorative gift in memory of his late wife, Bryant alumna Edith M. Hodgson, ‘16. The library was dedicated as the Edith M. Hodgson Memorial Library in 1978 in her honor. 

Part VI: The Douglas & Judith Krupp Library

2002 - Present

As the century turned, Bryant faced the same dilemma it had all the way back in the 1950s: the school lacked an independent, dedicated library building. To remedy this, architecture firm Gwathmey Siegel & Associates was hired to design a cutting-edge new space. The firm's portfolio also includes the New York Public Library’s Science, Industry and Business Library and the Guggenheim Museum, 

In 2000, ground was broken for the brand new library, which opened in 2002. It is named for alumnus Douglas Krupp ‘69, ‘89H, and his wife Judith. Mr. Krupp served on the Bryant Board of Trustees from 1991 to 2001, and again from 2008 to 2014. A generous gift from the Krupps helped the the modern-day Krupp Library become a reality, and their support continues well past its 2002 opening. In 2005, Mr. Krupp and the university matched funds raised by the graduating class to create a $72,000 library endowment fund. In 2011, he was officially recognized as a Bryant Champion for Philanthropy.

In 2025, the Krupp Library ranked #16 in the nation on the Princeton Review’s 2026 “Best College Library” list, moving up from 24th place in 2024 and 20th place in 2025. This list ranks college and university libraries across America based on students’ appraisals of their library facilities.

Stop in any time before the end of the month to view the exhibit and learn more about the library's history!