About the Harvard University Library

The Harvard University Library is the system of more than 70 libraries that provides comprehensive access to Harvard's library holdings across the boundaries of individual faculties and disciplines. The University Library is also a department of the University's central administration through which the libraries collaborate in the areas of digital acquisitions and collections, information technology, high-density storage, and preservation.

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Report of the Provost's Task Force on University Libraries
November 12, 2009
"The report of the Task Force on University Libraries is a very thoughtful document about an extraordinary system," states Provost Steven E. Hyman. "But it is also a stark rendering of a structure in need of reform. Our collections are superlative, and our knowledgeable library staff are central to the success of the University's mission. The way the system operates, however, is placing terrible strain on the libraries and the people who work within them." Access the full report (PDF) >>

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Digitizing Dunster
November 9, 2009
In celebration of his 400th year, the papers of Harvard's first president are now online. Full story >>

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A Compact for Open-Access Publication
September 14, 2009
Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, and the University of California, Berkeley announce their joint support for open-access publishing. Additional research institutions are invited to join the five-member compact. Full story >>

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HOPE Makes It Work at Harvard
September 14, 2009
The Office for Scholarly Communication is managing Harvard's participation in the Open-Access Compact through the Harvard Open-Access Publication Equity (HOPE) Fund. Full story >>

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Read Library Notes Online
Read the latest issue of Harvard University Library Notes online. Or explore back issues of the publication, from 1999 to the present. Current issue >>