The New Hampshire Library of Traditional Jazz (NHLTJ) was created in 1978 by Dorothy (Dot) Prescott, a long-time supporter of the New England jazz community, to preserve the history of and foster the appreciation and continuance of traditional jazz music. She incorporated the NHLTJ as a New Hampshire non-profit, charitable organization and housed the library’s collection of recordings, memorabilia, and audio equipment at her home in Auburn, New Hampshire. Initially, the library’s assets were her own collection of jazz materials (see the Prescott collection).

   In Dot Prescott’s view, another essential element of the library would be live concerts presenting various forms of traditional jazz. In 1979, she approached the Department of Music at UNH about collaborating on a series of concerts featuring noted New England-area traditional jazz musicians. These discussions led to an affiliation with UNH in which Dot funded and helped select the musicians, and UNH provided the concert facilities and logistics.

   In 1984, Dot concluded a memorandum of understanding with UNH whereby upon her death (1) the assets of the NHLTJ would be transferred to the university, and (2) the Traditional Jazz Series would be continued under the auspices of the UNH Music Department. Her estate would also provide a generous endowment to fund these activities in perpetuity.

   Dot died in 1988, and all NHLTJ assets were all transferred from her house to the Special Collections Department of the UNH Library where they now have a permanent home. In addition, the Dorothy Prescott Room in Special Collections was designated as a listening area for jazz music and a place for housing the NHLTJ collection of jazz-related books.