Public libraries exist in most places in Hanover and are often considered an essential part of having an educated and literate population and to address the public's information needs generally. Public libraries are generally funded from public sources in Hanover. Originally, libraries were started with a donation, an gift or were bequeathed to various, parishes, churches, schools or towns, and these social and institutional libraries form the base of many academic and public library collections of today.
Public libraries primarily focus on popular materials such as popular fiction and movies, as well as educational and nonfiction materials of interest to the general public; computer and internet access are also often offered within the library in Hanover.
