Help & Services

Use the Library

Borrow, Renew, Request

Borrow

Circulating items

  • Regular loan items have semester loan periods for Harvard faculty, students and staff.
  • All regular loan items are subject to recall.
  • Regular loan items do not include reserve materials, multimedia items,or equipment.
  • More info including fines
  • Information specifically for faculty, BTI affiliates, alumni, and visitors

Noncirculating items that must be used in the library

  • Reference collection
  • Bound periodicals
  • Microform and microfiche
  • Special Collections materials
  • Faculty books on display

Renew

Regular loan items: renew online in HOLLIS by logging into My Account, or call the circulation desk at 617.495.5788.

Request

Articles or book chapters from Harvard Library collections, scanned and delivered electronically within 1-4 business days (Scan and Deliver)

Books delivered from other Harvard libraries within 1-4 business days

Books delivered from Borrow Direct libraries within 4 business days (Borrow Direct)

Books and articles delivered from other libraries within approximately 2 weeks; note that articles delivered electronically may arrive sooner (Interlibrary Loan)

Have something you'd like to see the library buy and add to our collections? Submit a purchase request.

Course Reserves

Course reserve readings are listed on the Canvas course website as “Library Reserves”. Online readings are linked. If there is no link, bring the call number to the circulation desk on the first floor to borrow a copy. Reserve materials circulate for two hours. Please contact reserves@hds.harvard.edu with questions about course reserves.

Placing material on reserve.

Book a Group Study Room

There are three group study rooms on the ground floor of the library. Please click here  to book a group study room.

Print, Scan, & Copy

Print

Library computers

Computers for access to online Harvard Library resources, email, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel are located on floors 1 and 2.

Wireless network

For information about connecting and printing on the wireless network, see Wireless Networking and Printing on the Harvard Divinity School website.

Printing

See Wireless Networking and Printing on the Harvard Divinity School website for instructions. Printing fees are paid through Crimson Cash.

Scan

Scanners

  • Located on first and second floors.

  • Free of charge

  • Digital scans may be saved on a USB flash drive or sent as a digital file to your email account.

Digital reader/scanner for microfilm

  • Located on the first floor.

  • Digital scans may be saved on a USB flash drive or sent as a digital file to your email account or cloud storage drive.

  • Access to the collections and readers is self-service and available whenever the library is open. Request assistance at the service desk on the first floor.

Copy

Printers can also be used for copying

  • Color or black-and-white

  • Located on floors 1 and 2

  • Fees payable through Crimson Cash.

    • Color, single-sided: 15¢ per page

    • Color, double-sided: 8¢ per side

    • Black and white, single-sided: 5¢ per page

    • Black and white, double-sided: 3¢ per side

Accessibility

The staff of Harvard Divinity School Library is committed to meeting the needs of  disabled people who use our collections and services.

Disabled students must first register with the Office of Student Life to receive accommodations at HDS. For more information, see Accessibility on the Harvard Divinity School website.

We try to anticipate needs in the areas listed below, and will make reasonable accommodations for individual situations. If the information here does not address your specific situation, please contact Access Services to ensure that appropriate services can be arranged.

Physical access

  • Building access
    The library's entrance in Swartz Hall is accessible.   Once inside the library, all floors are accessible by elevator.

  • Stack access
    If you are unable to retrieve materials from a shelf, library staff at the Access Services desk will help.  Before asking for books, please identify the call numbers of the items desired. Staff can verify for you whether any of these items are checked out.

  • Parking

  • Restrooms
    All restrooms in the library are accessible.

Research assistance

  • Photocopying and scanning

    Self-service photocopiers and scanners are available throughout the library. People who cannot operate them should take materials to the Access Services desk, and staff will make scans and copies at the self-service rate.

  • Literature searches
    The library provides librarian-assisted searching of online resources that are not fully accessible to disabled people. Contact Research Services or call 617.496.2485 to make an appointment.

  • Books and journals from other libraries
    Harvard Divinity School affiliates who cannot access materials at any library due to disability may contact Access Services for assistance.   Before submitting requests, please identify the full bibliographic citation for each book or article.

Assistive technology

  • A closed-circuit television video magnifier (CCTV) is located on the first floor. This device magnifies printed text and other materials, as well as three-dimensional objects.
  • A DVD/VHS viewer and earphones are available at the circulation desk on the first floor.
  • A cassette and CD player is available through the research services or manuscript and archives staff (Monday-Thursday, 8:30 am-9 pm; Friday, 8:30 am-6 pm, except University holidays). Please call ahead for availability: 617.496.2485.

For more general information, see Accessibility on the Harvard Divinity School website.

Research Help

Ask Us

Work with a librarian

Connect with a subject expert at Harvard Divinity School Library to

  • Locate information

  • Develop a research strategy

  • Find relevant sources on any topic

  • Work on any research-related question, problem, or skill

M.Div. Senior Papers

Please visit our M.Div. Senior Paper FAQ.

Dissertations

At every stage of your project, research librarians are here to assist you. We will work with you to:

  • Develop search strategies

  • Build an exhaustive bibliography

  • Manage and cite your sources

  • Identify and learn to use relevant sources

  • Obtain research materials worldwide

Essential Tools and Services

Read Essential Tools and Services for the top things every HDS student should know about the Harvard Library.

Faculty

Faculty

  • Course reserves
  • Curricular and research support
  • Open access policy
BTI

BTI Affiliates

Visiting and borrowing privileges for faculty and students at Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium member schools.

Alumni

Alumni

  • Access to online resources
  • Research help
  • Visiting and borrowing privileges
Visitors

Visitors

Research help, access, and borrowing privileges for those without a Harvard affiliation, including local clergy.