Canterbury Christ Church and Greenwich universities are using a public library to house course material for students at the joint University Centre Folkestone.
The universities are buying books, CDs and DVDs for the public library. Staff at the library will provide services to students and university staff at no additional cost.
The Folkestone Centre is part of a series of projects spearheaded by millionaire philanthropist Roger de Haan, former owner of the Saga holiday company, to regenerate the area through investment in the arts.
The centre will offer courses in performing arts, multimedia and business and management in the creative industries.
Mr de Haan is also funding the Sidney de Haan research centre in Folkestone. The centre, named after his father, will research the links between music and other arts and health and wellbeing.