From card catalogs to computers, libraries have changed over the years. While students still go to the library for quiet study and to borrow books, they also look to the library to access content online and work on group projects. Libraries are no longer hushed, reserved places; they are welcoming, comfortable spaces where people can meet and collaborate.

Thanks to a library renovation in 2009, NECC revitalized a dedicated art gallery and meeting space, called ArtSpace. The area is used for meetings and other public gatherings and also for student, faculty and community art shows during the academic year. The NECC Annual Fund has supported ArtSpace by providing funding for art projects and shows at the space. The gallery is a vehicle to bring contemporary artists and their work to the college campus so that students and the greater college community can have access to a wide range of art and design. ArtSpace also allows students the exposure and experience of mounting their own shows and exhibiting their work.

In addition to funding much-needed scholarships, the NECC Annual Fund provides program grants for faculty and staff which enrich classroom learning and provide students with hands-on learning tools and experiential learning opportunities.