Schlesinger Library's materials are requestable using your HOLLIS Special Request account, which allows you to place and manage your requests for access to Schlesinger Library’s materials. HOLLIS Special Request is available to Harvard and non-Harvard researchers and can be used at any participating Harvard library or archive.

All researchers will need to have a HOLLIS Special Request account to request Schlesinger Library materials, including copy requests. This includes all members of a research team planning a visit to the Library. Information for research teams or researchers coordinating with a research proxy is available on our Research Teams Guide.
(Note: If you have an existing HOLLIS Special Request account you use to request from Harvard’s other special collections libraries, that account also works with Schlesinger Library’s materials!)

With your HOLLIS Special Request account you can:

• Request material to access in a Reading Room
• Track the status and history of your requests
• Order copies of materials
• Save lists of material to be requested later

Collection materials, including books, periodicals, and manuscript collections, can be requested through HOLLIS, Harvard library's online catalog. Requests for manuscript and archival material with an associated finding aid (guides describing the contents of archival collections) must be made directly from the finding aid in HOLLIS for Archival Discovery. 

Researchers are encouraged to place requests in advance of your visit so we can confirm access to items with restrictions. Researchers must place requests for material stored offsite by 2:00pm one business day in advance of your visit in order for material to arrive at the Library on time. Please note that we are able to request up to 10 boxes from off-site storage per researcher per day. Please share your questions with us using the Ask a Schlesinger Librarian webform.

Have questions about getting started with HOLLIS Special Request?

• Check out the HOLLIS Special Request guide for advice and tips.

Not sure how to place requests in HOLLIS?

• Learn more in the Requesting with HOLLIS section of this guide.

Not sure how to make requests through a finding aid?

• Review the Requesting with HOLLIS for Archival Discovery section of this guide and the HOLLIS for Archival Discovery Tour.

Still have questions?

• Ask us!