Due south from the Forum is Burling Library. Dedicated in 1959, the library has received national recognition for its exterior design and interior features. Standing at approximately the site occupied by East College from 1861 to 1871, the library is named for Lucy Burnham Burling of Eldora, Iowa, the mother of Edward A. Burling, a member of the Class of 1890. A partner in the prestigious law firm of Covington & Burling in the nation's capital, Edward Burling provided most of the funds that made construction of the library possible.

The structure is another building designed in International Style by Walter Netsch of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. The architect gave the building impressive overhangs on the front and rear roof-lines and a window treatment affording readers in the library a spacious view of outdoor vistas. Leading up to the front of the building is a ramp that crosses a moat-like space at ground level. The interior is marked by open spaces in which there is comfortable seating and lighting, with stacks easily accessible to patrons.

In 1982 Burling Library was completely renovated, and two floors were added by placing a new structure on the roof of the existing building. The firm of Weese Hickey Weese of Chicago served as architects for the renovation and addition. A Print and Drawing Study Room, containing original works by many of the world's outstanding artists, was added at this time, along with exhibition space in the same area. There is also a Music Listening Room with state-of-the-art electronic equipment. Another important resource is the Iowa Room, which contains historical archives and the College's rare-book collection. Today the library has more than 475,000 volumes on its shelves and subscribes to more than 3,000 periodicals from nations around the world. The card catalog and other technical systems were automated in 1989, and campus-wide access to various specialized data bases was made available in 1992. Also, through the College's connections to Internet, members of the campus community can access data bases and obtain fi les of text, images, and/or sounds from sites around the world.