• Get to the Schlesinger Library?
• Contact a librarian?
• Find materials in the on-line catalog?
• Donate books or manuscripts?
• Request permission to publish?
• Properly handle library materials?

Get to the Schlesinger Library?

Public Transportation:
Take the Red Line to the Harvard Square Station. Walk through Harvard Square, down Brattle Street; Radcliffe Yard is three blocks away, at the corner of Brattle and James Streets.

Driving Directions

Contact a librarian?

Click on the “Ask a Librarian” icon on the right to contact a librarian via e-mail, or call 617-495-8540.

Find materials in the on-line catalog?

Visit HOLLIS, Harvard’s on-line catalog, and read our Hollis Catalog Search Tips.

Donate books or manuscripts?

For donations of books, please contact Marylène Altieri, Curator of Books and Printed Materials, at 617-496-8651.

For donations of manuscripts, please contact Kathy Jacob, Curator of Manuscripts, at 617-495-8530.

Request permission to publish?

Permission to publish portions of manuscript collections including photographs must be obtained from the Schlesinger Library. In most cases, the Library claims only physical ownership of the manuscript material in its collections. Persons wishing to publish such material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of the copyright holder. Although permission should only be sought from the library once a publisher has accepted a work for publication, readers are urged to inquire about permission issues before undertaking extensive research in a collection.

To request permission to publish manuscript material, photographs, or audiovisual material, please read detailed instructions here.

Properly handle library materials?

How materials are handled greatly affects their physical condition. Please exercise care for the items you use.  By following these guidelines, you are helping to preserve irreplaceable materials for future generations.  Reading Room staff is available to assist you with questions or concerns.

For All Material:

• Hands should be clean and dry.
• Material must be laid flat and used on the surface of the table.
• Do not lean on materials; nothing may be placed on top of items except weighted string.
• Do not bend, fold or roll flat material such as maps or other oversize items.
• Turn pages/documents carefully.  If something is impeding access to a page/document, (e.g., uncut pages, an unopened envelope, etc.), please ask for assistance.
• Do not trace, write on or otherwise mark the material.  Likewise, do not erase anything from a document/book.
• Please notify staff if you see any evidence of damage (e.g., a torn page), or if you suspect that material is out of order or misidentified.  Do not make a repair or correction yourself.
• Gloves may be provided with material that is especially sensitive to damage from direct handling such as photographs and film/glass negatives.
• If you leave the Reading Room, please close the book/folder you are using and advise staff of the approximate time of your return.
• Materials may only be removed from the Reading Room by staff.

For Manuscripts:

• Only use one box at a time and only take one folder from a box at a time.
• Use an "out card" to mark the place of the folder in the box.
• Documents should lie flat on the table when you read them. 
• Maintain the order of the papers in each folder. 
• When finished with a folder, make sure that the contents are arranged neatly inside it to prevent creasing and tearing of the papers.

For Books:

• Some books will be presented in cradles, designed to prevent stress to all parts of the book. Please keep books in the cradle, which should sit squarely on the table. Cradles are designed for use by one book at a time.
• Special weights must be used to hold books and pamphlets open safely and securely.
• Never put anything in a book; acid free markers will be provided when needed.
• Illustrations, letters, and other sheets that fold out or are tipped into books may require special handling procedures or materials; please consult a staff member.

For Photographs:

• Handle photographic material by the edges.

Any reader who fails to observe instructions may forfeit the right to use the library’s collections.