Connecticut’s State Library, Hartford

The Connecticut State Library, located directly across from the State Capitol in Hartford, is both a major public institution and a vital arm of Connecticut’s executive branch. Since its establishment in 1854 by the Connecticut General Assembly, the library has played a central role in preserving the state’s heritage and supporting the information needs of government officials, researchers, students, public libraries, and local municipalities.

Today, the library offers a broad range of services: archival preservation, public records management, library development programs, museum exhibitions, and administration of federal Library Services Technology Act grants. Its mission is clear—to preserve and make accessible Connecticut’s history while strengthening library services across the state.

The institution has only had eleven State Librarians since its founding, with James Hammond Trumbull serving as the first. Initially, the collections were housed in the old State Houses of Hartford and New Haven, then in the Capitol itself. A major turning point came with the construction of the Connecticut State Library and Supreme Court Building, which broke ground in 1908 and opened in 1910. Designed by Donn Barber and E.T. Hapgood in the Italian Renaissance style, the building features three main wings: the State Library, Memorial Hall, and the Supreme Court.

A significant expansion in 1969 added a new wing with museum exhibition space, expanded stacks, and administrative offices. The entire building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, recognized for its architectural merit and its enduring role in safeguarding Connecticut’s documentary legacy.