Harvard university library

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The University Library consists of all the collections of books in the possession of the University. It originated in 1638 with books left to the college by John Harvard. The library system currently consists of over 100 separate facilities, ranging from very small specialized collections to Widener Library, with its 5 million volumes. Each of the faculties within the University maintains one or more libraries serving its special constituency. The largest unit is the Harvard College Library (including Widener) which consists of the libraries of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Through various organizational arrangements, an attempt has been made over the years to coordinate the operations of the many libraries in the University. At certain times, the director of the library has also been head of the College Library. In 1979, the office of the director of the University Library was distinctively separated from the duties of the College Library.

From the description of Records of the Harvard University Library, 1698- (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 76972778

From the description of Records of the Harvard University Library, 1698- (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 236231777

Metcalf was Director of Harvard University Library.

From the description of Correspondence with Franz Werfel, 1942. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 155863419

The first library catalogs at Harvard were in book form. In the 1870's, Harvard began to adopt a new technology for library catalogs, the card catalog. Harvard's On-line Integrated Library System (HOLLIS) began to replace the card catalogs in the 1980's. Following the establishment of HOLLIS, a project of retrospective conversion or "recon," created electronic bibliographic records from older catalog cards, and thus created a single, union catalog for all the libraries of Harvard University; retrospective conversion for cards using western alphabets was completed in 1998.

From the description of Catalog cards : samples of catalog cards from the libraries of Harvard University, ca. 1870?-ca. 1980. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 77065015

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Harry Levin papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Fields, Annie, 1834-1915. Papers pertaining to the estate of Annie Adams Fields, 1846-1935 Houghton Library
referencedIn Ground plan of the library, 1831-1832. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Fox, Thomas A. (Thomas Alfred), 1864-1946. Thomas A. Fox and John Singer Sargent Collection, 1882-1934. Boston Athenaeum
referencedIn Wilson, William Jerome, b. 1884. Catalogue entries : Catalogue of Latin and vernacular alchemical manuscripts in the United States and Canada : typescript, 1936. Houghton Library
referencedIn Hamlin, Arthur T. Arthur Tenney Hamlin : an Informal Autobiography / Arthur Tenney Hamlin, 1991. University of Pennsylvania, Archives & Records Center
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Survey of the Widener portrait collection, 1984. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Correspondence, 1909 Dec. 7, 18. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Harvard University. Medal from the Mayor of Rome, December 1955. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Ernest Francisco Fenollosa papers, 1881-1952 (inclusive), 1881-1909 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. A list of the books from the bequest of Theodore Jewett Eastman that bear the marks of ownership of Sarah Orne Jewett : typescript, 1933. Houghton Library
referencedIn Theodore Roosevelt Collection: Books, pamphlets, periodicals, 18-- - <ongoing> Theodore Roosevelt Collection, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Richman, Irving Berdine, 1861-1938,. Collection of transcripts from various archives of documents concerning the early history of California, [not after 1911]. Newberry Library
referencedIn Records, 1939-1970 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969. Papers, 1925-1969 (bulk: 1937-1969) Houghton Library
referencedIn Ternaux-Compans, Henri, 1807-1864. Letters, 1839 May 29-1850 June 6, Paris, to George Ticknor, Boston. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Eliot, Henry Ware, 1879-1947, collector. T. S. Eliot collection, 1881-1994. Houghton Library
referencedIn Charles Deane collection 1840-1909 1848-1889 Deane, Charles collection William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Samuel, Williams family, papers, 1723-1995. Houghton Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Correspondence, 1909-10 Dec. 23, Jan. 4, 6, 24. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Letter to Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture, 1849. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn William Ernest Hocking papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Harvard College Library. Friends. General information by and about the Friends of the Harvard College Library, 1925-2003. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Printed form letter signed by William C. Lane, Harvard University Library librarian, to Augustin Daly [manuscript], 1898 May 9. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Class Day programs and tickets, 1835-1933. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Harvard University. Corporation. Partly printed document signed : Cambridge, Mass., 1857 July 24. Texas Christian University
referencedIn American Philosophical Society Archives. Record Group IIj, 1898-1988 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Records of the Harvard University Library, 1698- Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Winship, George Parker, 1871-1952. Bibliographical notes, compositions, and other papers, [19--] Houghton Library
creatorOf Frost, Robert, 1874-1963. Papers relating to the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. 1960-1961. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn War and Political Information Center (Harvard University). Records of the War and Political Information Center, 1970. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Lee, Arthur. Photostatic copies of the Arthur Lee manuscripts in the Harvard University Library as listed in Bibliographical contributions, no. 8, Calendar of the Arthur Lee manuscripts, Cambridge [manuscript] 1882. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Radcliffe College. Library. Records, 1895-1955 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874. [Letter] 1866 Aug. 28, Profile House N.H [to] Mr. Dana. Boston Athenaeum
referencedIn Widener, Eleanor Elkins. Letters to Luther S. Livingston : manuscript, 1912-[1914]. HCL Technical Services, Harvard College Library
referencedIn Gladys Tilden Papers, 1875-1982 Bancroft Library
referencedIn Harvard College Library. Committee. Records, 1859-1948 Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Tiemann, Bernard Joseph. Intelligence known, and unknown. About the origin, etc., of the flags of the United States of America and an out-of-the-ordinary bibliography of American flags books : manuscript, 1924. Houghton Library
referencedIn Papers, 1846-1948 (inclusive), 1918-1939 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Scrapbook of Thomas Franklin Currier, 1895-1920 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Radcliffe College. Library. Records, 1895-1955 (inclusive). Radcliffe College, Archives
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Correspondence to Van Wyck Brooks, 1959. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Hudson, Manley Ottmer, 1886-1960. Papers, 1894-1960 Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Austen, Willard. Bookplates : a collection of bookplates used by libraries and institutions, [1904-ca. 1920]. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Harvard College Library. Records of Serials Division : Union list of serials and Harvard College Library list of subject headings, ca. 1940-1964 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Doderer, Heimito von, 1896-1966. Letters to Walter Grossman, 1954-1964. Houghton Library
referencedIn Wooden table with inset made from samples of marble used in the construction of Widener Library. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Whitney Warren papers, 1914-1926. Houghton Library
creatorOf Straker, Robert Lincoln. A gloss upon glosses. Critical comments on two books by Louise Hall Tharp: The Peabody Sisters of Salem [and] Until Victory: Horace Mann and Mary Peabody : typescript 1956 January. Houghton Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Correspondence to Van Wyck Brooks, 1956-1959. University of Pennsylvania Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Correspondence and other records of Librarian Alan E. Erickson, 1966-1985 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Widener, Eleanor Elkins. Letters to Flora Livingston : manuscript, 1914-1937. HCL Technical Services, Harvard College Library
referencedIn Billings, John S. Letter, 1887, Crerar Ms 2 Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library,
referencedIn Harvard University Library t-shirt, ca. 1996. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. CONSER Project records, ca. 1976-1982 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Stoller, Leo. The collected verse of John Reed : manuscript, 1947 June. Houghton Library
referencedIn Harvard University. Student Committee on a Fund for Building a New Library Reading Room. General information by and about the Student Committee on a Fund for Building a New Library Reading Room, 1890. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Correspondence, 1910 Jan. 27, Nov. 16, 25. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Harvard University. Documentary history of the library, 1773-1879. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Records of the Harvard University Library, 1698- Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Cabot Science Library (Harvard University). Records of library committees and public services, 1965-1983 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Autographs from the collection of Harold Murdock A.M. (Hon.) 1916 : typescript list, 1935. Houghton Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Catalog cards : samples of catalog cards from the libraries of Harvard University, ca. 1870?-ca. 1980. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. "Harvard University Library" ceramic coffee mug, 2006. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Bayard Taylor papers, 1826-1912 (inclusive), 1845-1878 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Abraham Aaron Roback papers, 1909-1965. Houghton Library
referencedIn Forrest, William Mentzel, b. 1868,. Correspondence regarding the first University of Virginia copy of Eliot's Indian Bible [manuscript] 1907 Jul 11. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Billings, John S. (John Shaw), 1838-1913. Letter : Washington, D. C., to Justin Winsor, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1887 Jan. 3. Texas Christian University
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Oral History Project, 1982-1984. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Correspondence, 1909 July 8, 19. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Coolidge, Archibald Cary, 1866-1928. Papers of Archibald Cary Coolidge, 1893-1982 bulk dates, 1893-1934. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874. Correspondence, 1829-1874 Houghton Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Administrative records of the Assistant Director for External Affairs, ca.1979-1992 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Metcalf, Keyes DeWitt, 1889-1983. Papers of Keyes DeWitt Metcalf, 1969-1989. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Letter to Horace Howard Furness, 1880. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Institutional file. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
referencedIn Mitchell, Barbara A. A beginning is made : the female labor force and the new catalogue of the Harvard College Library, 1856-1877. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Correspondence with Franz Werfel, 1942. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Quaker collection 1700-1888 Quaker collection William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Publications Office correspondence and other records, 1980-1992 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn James Parton papers, 1914-1986. Houghton Library
referencedIn Sibley, John Langdon, 1804-1885. Letters to Levi Bartlett, 1821-1823. Houghton Library
referencedIn Harvard University. Librarians' Assembly. Committee on Communications and Orientation. Records of the Committee on Communications and Orientation of the Librarians' Assembly 1971-1993 (inclusive) Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Board of Overseers. General information about the Visiting Committee Prize for Undergraduate Book Collecting. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Bookplates, ca. 1897-ca. 1932. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Joseph Ishill correspondence, 1942-1966. Houghton Library
referencedIn Widener, Eleanor Elkins,. Letters to Eleanor Elkins Widener and A. Hamilton Rice : manuscript, 1915-1940. HCL Technical Services, Harvard College Library
referencedIn Maxwell Evarts Perkins correspondence and papers on Thomas Wolfe, 1933-1948. Houghton Library
referencedIn Potter, Alfred Claghorn, 1867-1940. Papers regarding librarians of Harvard College, 1914. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn HOLLIS t-shirt, ca. 1993. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Currier family. Papers, 1861-1950 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Harvard College Library. Photographs : Harvard librarians and stacks, 1912. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Von Brieson, Hans, b. 1876. Hans Von Briesen correspondence, 1893-1897. New-York Historical Society Library
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Records of Committee on Online Reference Services, 1977-1987 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Currier, Thomas Franklin, 1873-1946. Papers of T. Franklin Currier, 1852-1973 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Cameron, Donald F. Records, 1925-1971. Rutgers University
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Financial records, 1933-1936 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Records of RLIN/AMC project, 1983-1987 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Keller, Carl Tilden, 1872-1955. Catalogue of the Keller collection of Don Quixote. Manuscript. Houghton Library
referencedIn Inventory to the Records of the Rutger University Office of University Librarian (Donald F. Cameron), 1925-1971 Rutgers Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Correspondence, 1908 May 22, 25. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Jackson, William A. (William Alexander), 1905-1964. William A. Jackson letters to Keyes DeWitt Metcalf, 1945. Houghton Library
referencedIn Radcliffe College autograph collection, 1705-1946 (inclusive), 1881-1946 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Records of Catalog Record Display Screen (CARDS) Task Group, 1987-1988 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Bowditch, Nathaniel, 1773-1838. Bowditch family business letters, 1826-1861. Massachusetts Historical Society
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Records of Edwin E. Williams, 1964-1983 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Harvard University. Office of the Director of the University Library. Correspondence 1982-1989 (inclusive) Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Harris, Thaddeus William, 1795-1856,. Letters, 1846-1848. Houghton Library
referencedIn Berger, Raoul. Raoul Berger Papers. 1921-2000. Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Sibley, John Langdon, 1804-1885. Note from John Langdon Sibley regarding the Papers of John Thornton Kirkland, 1842 January. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Harvard-Radcliffe Manuscripts and Archives Group. Records of the Harvard-Radcliffe Manuscripts and Archives Group, 1984-1994. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. Records of the Director of the Harvard University Library, Keyes DeWitt Metcalf, 1937-1955. Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Harvard University. Library. List of subject headings on manuscripts and archives records in HOLLIS, 1987 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Erik Satie papers, 1866-1966. Houghton Library
referencedIn Billings, John S. (John Shaw), 1838-1913. Letter : Washington, D.C., to Justin Winsor, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1887 Jan. 3. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn Ruth Fischer papers, 1925-1961 (inclusive) 1940-1961 (bulk) Houghton Library
referencedIn Mary Hyde Eccles papers, 1853-2005, (bulk) 1939-2003. Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adam, R. B. (Robert Borthwick), 1863-1940 person
associatedWith American Philosophical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Anderson-Imbert, Margarita. person
associatedWith Berger, Raoul, 1901- person
associatedWith Billings, John S. (John Shaw), 1838-1913. person
associatedWith Blake, Robert P. 1886-1950. person
associatedWith Boswell, James, 1740-1795. person
associatedWith Briggs, W.B. person
associatedWith Bryant, Douglas Wallace, 1913-1994. person
associatedWith Buck, Paul Herman, 1899- person
associatedWith Cabot Science Library (Harvard University) corporateBody
associatedWith Cabot Science Library (Harvard University) corporateBody
associatedWith Cameron, Donald F. person
associatedWith Carpenter, Kenneth E., 1936- person
associatedWith Carpenter, Kenneth E., 1936- person
associatedWith CONSER Program. corporateBody
associatedWith Coolidge, Archibald Cary, 1866-1928. person
associatedWith Currier family. family
associatedWith Currier, Thomas Franklin, 1873-1946. person
correspondedWith Daly, Augustin, 1838-1899 person
associatedWith Deane, Charles, 1813-1889 person
associatedWith Doderer, Heimito von, 1896-1966. person
correspondedWith Eccles, Mary Hyde. person
associatedWith Erickson, Alan E. person
associatedWith Fainsod, Merle, 1907-1972. person
correspondedWith Fenollosa, Ernest Francisco, 1853-1908 person
associatedWith Fields, Annie, 1834-1915 person
correspondedWith Fischer, Ruth, 1895- person
associatedWith Fox, Thomas A. (Thomas Alfred), 1864-1946. person
associatedWith Frost, Robert, 1874-1963. person
correspondedWith Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969 person
associatedWith Hamlin, Arthur T. person
associatedWith Harris, Thaddeus William, 1795-1856, person
associatedWith Harvard College Library corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard College Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard College Library. Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard College Library. Friends. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard-Radcliffe Manuscripts and Archives Group. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard Theatre Collection. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard University corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard University. Board of Overseers. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard University. Bureau of Study Counsel. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard University. Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard University. Librarians' Assembly. Committee on Communications and Orientation. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard University. Office of the Director of the University Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard University. Student Committee on a Fund for Building a New Library Reading Room. corporateBody
correspondedWith Hocking, William Ernest, 1873-1966 person
associatedWith Hudson, Manley Ottmer, 1886- person
correspondedWith Ishill, Joseph. person
associatedWith Jackson, William A. (William Alexander), 1905-1964. person
associatedWith Jewett, Sarah Orne, 1849-1909 person
associatedWith Johnson, Samuel, 1709-1784. person
associatedWith Keller, Carl Tilden, 1872-1955. person
associatedWith Lane, William C. person
correspondedWith Lane, William Coolidge, 1859-1931 person
associatedWith Lee, Arthur. person
associatedWith Leinbach, Philip E. person
correspondedWith Levin, Harry, 1912-1994 person
associatedWith Lewis, Karen R. person
associatedWith Lockhart, J. G. 1794-1854. person
associatedWith Metcalf, Keyes DeWitt, 1889-1983. person
associatedWith Mitchell, Barbara A. person
associatedWith Murdock, Harold, 1862-1934 person
associatedWith Nordell, Joan. person
associatedWith Parton, James, 1912- person
correspondedWith Perkins, Maxwell E. (Maxwell Evarts), 1884-1947 person
associatedWith Pope, Alexander, 1688-1744. person
associatedWith Potter, Alfred Claghorn, 1867-1940. person
associatedWith Radcliffe College. Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Radcliffe College. Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Research Libraries Information Network. corporateBody
associatedWith Richman, Irving Berdine, 1861-1938, person
correspondedWith Roback, A. A. (Abraham Aaron), 1890-1965 person
associatedWith Rutgers University. Office of University Librarian corporateBody
correspondedWith Satie, Erik, 1866-1925 person
associatedWith Sibley, John Langdon, 1804-1885. person
associatedWith Stoller, Leo. person
associatedWith Straker, Robert Lincoln. person
associatedWith Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874. person
associatedWith Taylor, Bayard, 1825-1878 person
associatedWith Ternaux-Compans, Henri, 1807-1864. person
associatedWith Tiemann, Bernard Joseph. person
correspondedWith Tilden, Gladys, 1900- person
associatedWith Von Brieson, Hans, b. 1876. person
associatedWith War and Political Information Center (Harvard University) corporateBody
correspondedWith Warren, Whitney, 1864-1943 person
associatedWith Wendell, Evert Jansen, 1860-1917. person
associatedWith Widener, Eleanor Elkins. person
associatedWith Widener Library (Cambridge, Mass.) corporateBody
associatedWith William L. Clements Library corporateBody
associatedWith Williams, Edwin E. 1913- person
correspondedWith Williams, Samuel, 1743-1817 person
associatedWith Wilson, William Jerome, b. 1884. person
associatedWith Winship, George Parker, 1871-1952. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Massachusetts--Cambridge
United States
Massachusetts--Cambridge
Subject
Academic libraries
Academic libraries
Archive automation
Book collecting
Catalog, Card
Universities and colleges
Libraries
Libraries
Private libraries
Library bookplates
Library fund raising
RLIN (Information retrieval system)
Occupation
Activity
Librarians

Person

Active 1982

Active 1984

Active 1964

Active 1983

Americans

English

Information

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