GSAS Writing Toolkit

Working in parthership with the Fellowships & Writing Center and the Writing Oasis at Harvard's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Library is full of people with deep subject knowledge, technical (and technological) expertise, and a desire to see graduate students succeed in your research and writing. Graduate students and post docs are often seasoned researchers and writers, but may be new to Harvard, be working across disciplines, or developing new skills.

You may refer to us at any juncture in the research and writing process. Focusing on getting scholarly work done is an opportunity to engage with us in-person (in library spaces) or online via Zoom or email. 

Library liaisons (as we call ourselves) exist for every academic degree program. Whether you're deep in or just starting, we can help you define a research question, develop a good research strategy, and give you advice on discovering, locating, and using research materials in all shapes and forms. Our services also extend to sharing your work through publication.

Reach out anytime!

Connect with a library subject expert

Find names and contact information for library liaisons, listed by program, department, or specialty.

Request a Research Appointment

We'll match you! This is a great option when you're not sure which subject librarian is the best fit for a project or when your project might need different kinds of expert input as it develops.

Chat with Us 

Live help as you're working in HOLLIS or library databases online. Look for the blue banner on the right side of an open screen or use the link above. 

Ask a Librarian

Fast answers to your questions, by email, normally  within a few hours. (You can also request appointments or start a chat with us from here.)

Help yourself to our Library FAQs

Keyword searchable collection of commonly asked questions.  It's also a great for a collection of librarian-created tip sheets, called Where do I start?

Examine our Library Guides

Search or browse a selection of research guides curated by Harvard librarians on a wide variety of topics. Each guide lists highly recommended resources to help you make strides in your research.

Check out our calendar of upcoming workshops, tours, and other events hosted by Harvard Library for the Harvard community:

• Harvard Library Events

And don't miss our Unabridged program:

Unabridged In Person is a multi-day library research intensive for graduate students, designed to help you lay the groundwork for a career in academic research and writing. Our term-time “Bookends” workshops complete the in-person program. Through discussions and hands-on activities, participants will build conceptual frameworks and practical skills that you can adapt to any academic research setting. An online version also exists, called Unabridged On Demand. By the end of the program you will be able to:

• Navigate complex research environments
• Organize your research in intellectually productive ways
• Optimize your search strategies
• Manage your scholarly persona and negotiate with publishers

Unabridged Events - Sign up to receive Unabridged program news and workshop announcements, including a notification when our application cycle begins for the January intensive.