Harold B. Lee Library, Academic library at Brigham Young University, Provo, United States
The Harold B. Lee Library is the main library of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, with several floors, two of which are underground. The building contains study areas and research collections that serve students and scholars across many fields.
The library traces its origins to a small collection housed in a single room at Brigham Young Academy in the 19th century. A fire in 1884 destroyed part of the holdings, but the collection recovered and grew steadily into the university library it is today.
The special collections hold handwritten manuscripts, rare books, and photographs tied to the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the settling of the American West. Browsing these materials gives a direct sense of how early settlers lived and recorded their lives.
The library is open to visitors, though some sections are reserved for university students and faculty. Each floor has orientation guides to help you find the reading rooms, computer stations, and special collections.
The library holds one of the largest privately held genealogical collections in the United States, drawing researchers from around the world who come specifically to trace family lines connected to the American West. This makes it a destination not just for university scholars but for anyone researching their own ancestry.
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