Hillman Library

Hillman Library is an odd monument at the University of Pittsburgh. The sharp angles contrast with the Neo-Gothic style of The Cathedral of Learning catty-corner to it and the orange brick Beaux-Arts architecture of the William Pitt Union. Many students describe it as “prison like” because of the angled windows that span the top three floors of the building. The limestone structure draws inspiration from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Renaissance-style base, visible from Hillman’s patio across Schenley Plaza. The building still features its original teak geometric wood paneling and black metal accents. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the first floor with natural lighting, just like the tall, angled windows on the upper levels that give the silhouette its interesting texture.

The building’s namesake, Hartwell Hillman, Jr. donated the land to the university. Construction was completed in three years between 1965 and 1968. Hillman Library has been a hub of student productivity and activities since its dedication. It’s the base of the University Library System, which s 7.1 million volumes of books, articles, and journals across seventeen different libraries and collections throughout the city.

The first floor has a number of specialty rooms dedicated to former students and Pittsburgh natives. The Thornburgh Room sits at the front of the building in honor of Dick Thornburgh, former Pennsylvania Governor. Original copies of his writing are d in the university archives and also displayed in the room. Other rooms include the Latin American Room, designed to look like a Spanish Baroque courtyard, and the K. Leroy Irvis Room, dedicated to the first African-American Speaker of the Pennsylvania of Representatives, which displays one of his model airplanes.

The library has both permanent and rotating artwork. For example, Archives and Special Collections own a complete 120 print set of John James Audubon’s Birds of America. The first and second floor has multiple works by Virgil Cantini, an Italian artist that earned his masters at Pitt and resided in the Oakland neighborhood. The A.J. Schneider Room on the third floor features undergraduate students’ work, including the recipients of the A.J. Schneider Studio Arts Award.

Hillman is not only a resource for students but can be utilized by the community. Events such as Audubon Day, a day celebrating archival research related to the Audubon collection, and concert series that take place in the library’s café, The Cup and Chaucer. The front desk will always greet those looking for resources, research, or a book to read.