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In 1723, Library Keeper Joshua Gee, Class of 1717, issued 300 copies of the College Library's first printed catalog, which was also the first public library catalog published in this country. The compilation in Latin shows about 3,500 books.

The major component of the University Library is the Harvard College Library, which consists of the 11 major units of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, including the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library in Harvard Yard.

Largest Academic Library in the World

Founded in 1638, the Harvard University Library is the oldest library in the United States and the largest academic library in the world. The collections, housed in more than 90 libraries, contain more than 15 million volumes as well as manuscripts, microforms, maps, photographs, databases, and other materials. Most of these are in Cambridge and Boston. Other locations include Washington, D.C., and Florence, Italy.

The largest part of the University Library is the Harvard College Library, which consists of 11 major libraries, including the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library in Harvard Yard. Widener Library, the flagship of the University library system, is undergoing a 2 1/2-year, multimillion-dollar stacks renovation to ensure the long-term preservation and security of the 5.7 million volumes and pamphlets in its collections.

As a research library, the mission of Harvard College Library is to provide a quiet environment in which faculty, students, and scholars can carry out their work. The libraries are open to individuals with Harvard IDs. Visiting scholars and independent researchers with research needs may apply for library privileges on a fee basis. Since access policies and privileges vary among libraries, researchers should telephone the library they wish to visit or look for information on the Harvard College Library Website at http://hcl.harvard.edu.

All telephone numbers are Area Code 617

• Information for Harvard College Libraries
  Cabot ... 495-5355
  Fine Arts ... 495-3374
  Harvard-Yenching ... 495-2756
  Hilles ... 495-8722
  Houghton ... 495-2440
  Kummel ... 495-2029
  Lamont ... 495-2452
  Littauer ... 495-2560
  Loeb Music ... 495-2794
  Tozzer ... 495-2253
  Widener ... 495-2413
  
  
• General Information for Other Faculty Libraries
  Business ... 495-6040
  Design ... 496-9163
  Divinity ... 495-5788
  Education ... 495-3423
  Government ... 495-1300
  Law ... 495-3455
  Medicine ... 432-4888
  Dial-Up Access to HOLLIS (electronic library catalog) modem: 496-8500
  Harvard Libraries Home Page: http://lib.harvard.edu