Get Started with the Library
This guide offers tips on locating library resources at Harvard and elsewhere. Questions? Contact me by email, phone, or Zoom.
Harvard Library Homepage
library.harvard.edu — Your starting point for:
- Searching the library catalog (HOLLIS)
- Checking library hours
- Locating study spaces
- Asking for help
- Exploring collections
- Learning about events and exhibits
Library Catalog - HOLLIS
HOLLIS — Search for books, articles, media, and more. Sign in for the best results and access to full features. Learn more with the HOLLIS User Guide or Ask a Librarian.
Databases
In HOLLIS, click DATABASES at the top to search or browse:
- Top picks
- By academic discipline
- Full list of 1,000+ Harvard databases
Helpful Tools
- Overleaf Pro – Collaborative LaTeX & rich-text writing platform.
- Open Knowledge Maps - – Visualize research topics with AI.
- Zotero – Collect, organize, and cite sources easily.
- LinkedIn Learning – Skill-building video tutorials (formerly Lynda.com).
- Journal Citation Reports – Analyze and compare 21,000+ journals.
- Syllabus Explorer - Browse course syllabi and reading lists..
Tech Lending & Multimedia Resources
Borrow audiovisual production tools (cameras, microphones, studio spaces, etc.) at Cabot Science Library and Lamont Library.
Journal Search
In HOLLIS, choose Starts With / Browse → Browse by Title to find specific newspapers, magazines, or journals Harvard provides, including available formats.
Direct links to:
- Chronicle of Higher Education
- E & E News
- Nature
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)
- Science
- Scientific American
- The Atlantic
- The New Yorker
Individual Account Access:
Library Guides
Harvard offers hundreds of research guides for services and subjects, including:
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology Resources
- Environment at a Glance
- Library Research Guide for the History of Science
- 37 medical guides - Harvard Countway Library (HMS)
- Energy & Environmental Policy - Harvard Kennedy Library
- Science & Technology Policy - Harvard Kennedy Library
- Baker Library - Harvard Business School
- Frances Loeb Library - Graduate School of Design
Ask a Librarian
ask.library.harvard.edu — Email, chat, or book an appointment with a librarian. Also browse a robust FAQ section.