Higher education in Nevada began under the direction of President Leroy D. Brown and Hannah Clapp. Appointed by the Board of Regents in 1887, Ms. Clapp, aged 63, was the first appointed staff of the University of Nevada, Reno. She was the first Professor of History and the English Languages.

In 1888, she became the Librarian. "She inherited a tiny collection of books pamphlets that could easily be housed in their one allotted room in Morill Hall. By 1894, the library occupied 2 rooms and consisted of nearly 4,000 volumes, when she retired in 1901, the library had 6000 books and 5000 pamphlets." (Totten, p.173) In 1896, she resigned her position of Preceptress, responsible for the female students living in what is now Manzanita Hall. From this point until her retirement in 1901, she devoted her energies to the library, the improvement of the collection and the implementation of the decimal system.

She retired to Palo Alto, California where she remained until her death in 1908.