1. Welcome
Welcome to the Harvard College Library. With several libraries located in various buildings around campus, starting research here can feel like entering a maze. This guide is intended to provide students with an introduction to the Harvard libraries and the resources available for your research. The advice offered here can help you save time and complete your research assignments successfully.
Why use the library as compared to a Web browser?
How often have you spent hours on the Web searching for the right piece of information and not found it? Or found something you weren’t sure was accurate or up to date? There are more than 10 billion Web sites, and some are produced by very reputable individuals and organizations and others are produced by unidentified sources or individuals/organizations with unstated agendas. Using library resources effectively, both in print and online, can save you time and will direct you to material that is worthwhile. Harvard reference librarians are eager to help you find exactly what you need. Oftentimes we'll be able to point you to library resources you can use online from home or abroad, at your convenience.
Getting oriented
It's easier to find your way through a maze if you can get an aerial view of it. The Harvard University Library system is made up of over ninety libraries that together support study and research at all the schools at Harvard. The Harvard College Library, one component of the Harvard University Library, consists of the ten largest libraries that support the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. At which of the libraries of the Harvard College Library will you do most of your work? The answer to this question will vary depending on your needs.