Harvard Library

We have over 800 staff engaging with scholars and students across more than 25 libraries and around the world. With over 20 million physical and digital items, our vast collections are renowned for their global reach and depth, with resources spanning the development of all disciplines and more than 460 languages. Our rare and special collections are among the most remarkable in the world, ranging from medieval manuscripts to sound recordings of modern poets and from early maps to digital images. We collect collaboratively with peer institutions and facilitate international open access, seeking to build a diverse, open corpus of knowledge with scholars and citizens everywhere. Established in 1638, we are the oldest library system in the United States and the world’s largest academic library. Seek collaboration. We bring people and ideas together from within and beyond because we believe partnership creates more interesting results. Embrace diverse perspectives. We cultivate and celebrate diversity in our collections and our community to construct a more inclusive and just world. Champion access. We enhance access to information and advance inclusive models of scholarly communication. Aim for the extraordinary. We drive progress and deliver the unexpected, building on our past and forging the future. A Discussion of Harvard Library’s Strategic Directions Advancing Open Knowledge (November 2020) takes our vision — we aspire to be global leaders in expanding world knowledge and intellectual exploration — and discusses broad strategies for achieving it in the years ahead. Harvard Library staff bring a multitude of skills, professional backgrounds, and experiences to our shared mission. By prioritizing connection, curiosity, and collaboration, we continually evolve to meet the needs of current and future knowledge seekers and creators. We aim to nurture a library culture that expands knowledge, broadens perspectives, and reflects the richness of the world we serve. As a partner in the academic enterprise, we embrace Harvard’s community values : We respect the rights, differences, and dignity of others; demonstrate integrity in all of our dealings; pursue excellence conscientiously in our work; hold ourselves accountable for our actions and conduct in the community; and cultivate bonds and bridges that enable all to grow with and learn from one another. Harvard Library has evolved over four centuries to a collaborative structure spanning the University. The Vice President for the Harvard Library and University Librarian is the senior administrative officer for Harvard Library, reporting to the Provost. This role is combined with senior administrative responsibility for the libraries in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, reporting to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Martha Whitehead is the current Vice President for the Harvard Library and University Librarian and Roy E. Larsen Librarian for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The Harvard Library Leadership team is chaired by the Vice President for the Harvard Library and University Librarian and Roy E. Larsen Librarian for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The team includes the Vice President’s direct reports, the directors of each of the School libraries, and the heads of Harvard Library departments. Several advisory bodies provide valuable input on the ongoing development of the Harvard Library: the Library Board, the Faculty Advisory Council, and the Overseers’ Committee.