Contact the research librarians
Gutman librarians are available online to answer your questions Monday - Friday, 8am - 6pm EST.
Email: Use our Ask Us
Text: 617-858-6079
Need more in-depth research help? Make a virtual appointment to work with a research librarian.
To schedule a time, use the Gutman Library Research Appointment tool.
Get a Harvard Library bookmark
Install the "Check Harvard Library" bookmark in your web browser to link easily to Harvard Library's full-text access.
Find scholarly articles & books
Ex: Effectiveness of four instructional programs designed to serve English learners
Ex: "educational leadership" equity handbook*
Understand the big picture
Use handbook chapters and literature review articles to:
- Get an overview of a new or complex topic
- Find out the names of key authors in a given area
- Locate terms that you can use in your research
- Help narrow (or expand) your topic
- Locate a bibliography of sources to help you start your research
Search tip: Add handbook* or "literature review*" to your search terms.
Search subject databases
It's okay to begin with Google or HOLLIS, but then switch to specialized databases to find the best research from your discipline(s).
Use our "3-in-1" search for education-related topics:
Manage and cite my research
Use Zotero to:
- create reference lists in APA and other formats
- create a searchable database of your research
- import citations, abstracts, and more from online sources
- organize notes and full text documents, such as PDFs, images, spreadsheets
Get It
Begin with HOLLIS to find online access to books and articles available through the Harvard Library.
In HOLLIS but not available online?
- Use the "Scan & Deliver" or "Scan & Deliver/Interlibrary Loan" link on the HOLLIS record to request digital copies of articles and book chapters (only one chapter per book). Learn more about Scan & Deliver.
- Pickup at Lamont Library is available by appointment for materials in certain Harvard collections, including Widener, Lamont, and Gutman Library materials off-site at the Harvard Depository. For directions to the pickup area at Lamont Library and the full list of currently available collections, please see Borrowing Physical Collections.
Not in HOLLIS?
- Use Interlibrary Loan to request digital copies of articles and book chapters from our partner libraries (please anticipate there may be delays). Learn more about Interlibrary Loan or place an Interlibrary Loan request.
More information about accessing materials in Academic Year 20-21
Find more research tools and tips
For additional subject databases (business, medicine, psychology, etc.) and other resources for exploring current knowledge, see our RKA Research Tools guide.