Special Collections: Plan Your Research Visit

Summer Hours, May 30th - August 15th: Monday - Thursday, 10:30am-4pm. 

For holidays and other closures, please expand “Show Detailed Hours” on the Frances Loeb Library’s hours page. 

The Frances Loeb Library Special Collections Reading Room is open to all.

All researchers planning to visit Special Collections must have a HOLLIS Special Request account. Save time upon your first visit by creating your HOLLIS Special Request account before arrival.

Researchers can request items through the finding aids in HOLLIS for Archival Discovery or Harvard Library's online catalog, HOLLIS, where they will be prompted to create or sign into a HOLLIS Special Request account. Researchers may submit up to 30 requests in HOLLIS Special Request, however we are only able to process 10 requests a day per researcher. If you have any questions, please review the Common Questions section of the HOLLIS for Archival Discovery user guide.

Many of our collections are stored off-site. Items may take 1-3 business days to process before being available for your visit. Researchers can check the status of each request in their HOLLIS Special Request account. Once the requested items arrive, Special Collections staff will email researchers information about scheduling an appointment to visit the Reading Room.

For researchers visiting outside of Cambridge, please reach out to us through Ask a Design Librarian to inform us of the extent of your research, requests, and visit plans so we can best support you.

• Upon arrival, reading room users are required to check in and show either a Harvard ID or government-issued ID to staff.
• Researchers may not use writing utensils other than pencils within the Special Collections Reading Room.
• Researchers are welcome to bring laptops, tablets, phones, and digital cameras to assist in their research. We ask that all devices be in silent mode. 
• Researchers may photograph most materials. Some collections may be subject to donor stipulations that limit or prohibit photography. Researchers are asked not to take pictures of other patrons, library staff, or items on hold for other researchers.
• The library does not permit the use of pens, tripods, scanners, camera flashes, special lighting, or any other equipment that rests directly on collection material or may pose a risk of damage.
• Researchers are asked to store items not permitted in the reading room, such as food and drink, bags, outerwear, and writing instruments other than pencils. 
• Handling guidelines must be conscientiously followed in order to preserve library material for future use. Library staff are always available to provide guidance. 

For instructors interested in bringing a class to Special Collections, please see our Instruction Session Request Form.