Get Started with the Library

This guide provides helpful tips on finding library material at Harvard and beyond. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me via email, phone, or Zoom.

Harvard Library homepage

Harvard Library - start here to find the library catalog (HOLLIS) or library hours, locate a study space, ask for help, explore our collections, learn about upcoming events and special exhibits, and much more.

Library Catalog

HOLLIS - search for books, articles, media and more.  Be sure to sign in to get the most out of the catalog. For more information, check out the HOLLIS User Guide or Ask a Librarian.

Library Guides

Harvard Library provides hundreds of tailor-made research guides on a wide variety of services and subject areas.

Ask a Librarian 

Ask A Librarian is a service that allows you to email, chat, or request an appointment with a library specialist.  This site also has a really helpful set of FAQs.

All Databases

Go to HOLLIS and, at the top, click on DATABASES - You can search for databases in a variety of ways e.g. top picks, by academic disciplines, or view all 1000+ databases with which Harvard provides access.

Journal Search 

Go to HOLLIS and, at the top, click on JOURNAL SEARCH - you can search for any newspaper, magazine or journal title and see if Harvard provides access and in what format. 

Helpful Tools

  • Citation Tools like Zotero organize book and article references and help format your bibliographies in a large variety of citation styles.
  • Overleaf Pro is a LaTeX and Rich Text collaborative writing and publishing tool that makes the process of academic writing, editing and publishing much quicker and easier.
  • BrowZine allows easy browsing and reading of journals 
  • LinkedIn Learning, formerly lynda.com, provide excellent training videos
  • Harvard Syllabus Explorer can be used to discover new courses and find course reading lists.