Minnesota Colleges & Universities
Top college and university libraries in Minnesota
These college and university libraries stand out for their collections, special collections and archives. Public access varies, so each entry says how visitors can use the library.
University of Minnesota LibrariesUniversity of Minnesota Twin Cities
As the only R1 research library in Minnesota, the University of Minnesota Libraries holds the world's largest archive on Sherlock Holmes and the internationally recognized Kerlan Collection of children's literature. Because the university is a public institution, its libraries are also open to the public. Wilson Library is the largest in the system.
Hill Museum & Manuscript LibrarySaint John's University
Founded in 1964 on the campus of Saint John's Abbey and University, the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library photographs, catalogs and provides free access to manuscripts in libraries around the world, prioritizing collections endangered by war or political instability. Visitors are welcome to the HMML Reading Room and Exhibitions, reached through the lower level of Alcuin Library; hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Laurence McKinley Gould LibraryCarleton College
Carleton College's Laurence McKinley Gould Library was built in 1956 and enlarged in 1983, and it operates all days of the week. Carleton later named a library fund after Joseph Lee Heywood, the college treasurer who was killed when he refused to open the safe of the First National Bank of Northfield during an attempted robbery.
The most beautiful college library in Minnesota
Alcuin LibrarySaint John's University
Marcel Breuer, the renowned Brutalist architect, designed Alcuin Library in the 1960s as part of his work on the Saint John's campus, which also includes the Saint John's Abbey Church and bell banner. The library stands across from the Abbey Church, and its lower level is the entrance to the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, whose reading room and exhibitions welcome visitors.
Last verified: November 2, 2026. Visitor rules, hours and borrowing policies change, so check the library's website before you go.
About colleges and universities in Minnesota
With more than 200 different colleges and universities in the state, Minnesota is a hub for higher education in the United States. Within its borders is the sixth-largest university based on enrollment size in the entire country, as well as a university system that operates more than 30 different public institutions. There are two medical schools in Minnesota as well as five accredited law schools.
The University of Minnesota is the largest school in the state, as well as one of the largest schools in the country. Its Twin Cities campus alone has an enrollment of more than 50,000 students, and there are four other satellite campuses located in Duluth, Rochester, Morris and Crookston. The University of Minnesota, which is known by local people as U of M, is an important research institution in the state. It consistently ranks as one of the top schools for research in not only the country but also across the globe. It is considered a Public Ivy institution, and the university is known for some of its top educational programs such as its pharmacy program and also its public health programs. Many public officials have graduated from the University of Minnesota, including many United States congressmen and congresswoman, as well as 19 different governors across the United States.
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System has a large presence in the state. It oversees the operations at 31 different university campuses, with 24 of those institutions being two-year colleges, trade schools and technical schools. It has a presence in 47 different communities throughout the state of Minnesota. The system went into effect in 1995, and it has quickly grown to be one of the largest systems based on enrollment in the country. Many of the system graduates continue to stay in Minnesota to live, work and begin their careers.
The largest private university in Minnesota is the University of St. Thomas which is located in St. Paul. It was first founded in 1885 as a Catholic seminary for young men studying to become priests, but it later become a coeducational Catholic liberal arts college. More than 10,000 students are enrolled in the school. The college is known for many of its academic programs, but the business school and school of divinity stand out as excellent academic choices from this institution. Notable alumni include several politicians, a few professional athletes and several authors.