Harvard Library
Harvard Library is the network of 25 libraries and services that make up Harvard University’s library system in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is the oldest library system in the United States and the largest academic and private library in the world. The best-known building in the system is Widener Library.
The library’s collections are vast, including tens of millions of printed books, hundreds of millions of manuscripts, millions of photographs, and large digital archives. It also houses important special collections, such as a major East Asian-language archive and strong business and anthropology resources.
Harvard Library works with the Research Collections and Preservation Consortium (ReCAP), which connects dozens of partner libraries and gives users access to more than 90 million books. The system’s online catalog is called HOLLIS, and more than six million digital objects are available online through Harvard Digital Collections. The CURIOSity tool helps people explore Harvard’s digitized materials.
History and governance go hand in hand at Harvard Library. It began with John Harvard’s gift of about 400 books and grew through donations, such as the Hollis endowment that funded ongoing acquisitions. The collection moved several times as it expanded, from Old College to Harvard Hall, then Gore Hall, and later into multiple specialized buildings. The library is guided by a leadership team and advisory bodies, including a Library Board and a Library Council on Student Experience, with oversight from the vice president for Harvard Library.
Access to the library is primarily for Harvard affiliates, though some events and spaces are open to the public. The library operates with a substantial budget (about $250 million) and a staff of around 800, supporting collections, preservation, digital projects, and shared services across the system.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:09 (CET).