Stewarded by a team of specialists, Rauner Special Collections Library houses over 100,000 rare books, millions of manuscripts, and the extensive Dartmouth College Archives. The team collaborates and partners with students, faculty, staff, and the archive-curious at Dartmouth—and across the globe—to accelerate research and advance scholarship. Come and get hands on with us!
Search Our Collections
Search Our Collections
- Library Search: Books, periodicals, manuscripts, or theses.
- Archives and Manuscripts Search: Archival and manuscript collections.
- Digital Collections and Resources: Photos or other digitized materials.
- Oral History Collections: Interviews with former Dartmouth students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community members.
Not Sure Where to Begin?
Send us your questions by email!
- Email: rauner.reference@dartmouth.edu
- Phone: 603-646-0538
Research and Teaching Resources
- Request Reference Assistance by emailing rauner.reference@dartmouth.edu
- Teach with Primary Sources
- Rauner Library Staff
- Plan Your Visit
Opportunities for Students and Researchers
Cool at Rauner
Rauner Blog Feed
On July 24, 1863, Rev. Nathan Lord resigned the presidency of Dartmouth College, an office he had held for thirty-five years. He gave it up rather than retract his defense of slavery: a defense he had grounded in Scripture rather than morality, and one that had made him a liability to the College in the eyes of the Dartmouth Board of Trustees and a favorite target of the abolitionist press.
For the majority of Dartmouth's history, a Black student on campus was a rarity. The College had graduated its first Black student in 1828, but by 1968 the College had only 130 Black alumni. Then, in the span of six years, the on-campus Black population increased a whopping 500%, from 14 students in the Class of 1968 to 85 in the Class of 1974. The Class of 1973 alone brought 82 Black students, nearly triple the class before it.
When traveling somewhere you do not speak the local language, what are the phrases you would prioritize learning? You can find countless phrasebooks today that aim not to teach you another language, but to get through a trip with a handful of essentials -- where's the restroom, how much does this cost, is this vegetarian, et cetera.
Bring Your Class to Rauner
Students in Rauner Library preparing items for exhibit.
Bring Your Class to Rauner
Enhance learning with hands-on exploration of primary sources!
Utilize our materials to:
- Access unique special collections.
- Examine evidence in primary sources.
- Develop skills in interpreting historical documents.
Whether you need a single session or a full term, let’s tailor the experience to fit your class.
Contact us at rauner.reference@dartmouth.edu.
Exhibits
Now on Exhibit
July 02, 2026 - September 04, 2026Rauner Library, Class of 1965 Galleries
January 07, 2026 - March 13, 2026
Rauner Library, Class of 1965 Galleries
