The Berntsen Library is named in honor of former Northwestern College president and chancellor, Dr. William B. Berntsen. The three-level, 37,800 square-foot building first opened to the Northwestern community in January 1993.

Mission
The library supports and reflects the curriculum and purpose of Northwestern College with particular emphasis on Biblical studies, business administration, Christian ministries, communications, music and fine arts, and teacher education. It services the traditional college curriculum as well as programs such as Focus / Pathway and Distance Education.

The Collection
The Berntsen Library houses over 100,000 volumes and provides access to approximately 17,000 periodical titles. In addition, it also contains expanding video and compact disc collections. The Berntsen Library is also a member of Cooperating Libraries in Consortium (CLIC) along with seven other private colleges in the Twin Cities. CLICnet, CLIC's online catalog, provides access to a combined collection of over 1.5 million items.