Borrowing
Basement-level Chinese stacks to be closed June 6 - September 14, 2008
Over the summer part of the compact shelving system in the basement-level Chinese stacks area of Harvard-Yenching Library will be replaced.
From June 6 – September 14, 2008, the area will be off limits to patrons and to staff.
Affected collections:
- Chinese-language HY collection (100 - 9999 , including folio/oversize works)
- Chinese-language LC collection from (C)A – (C)PL2680
(LC = Library of Congress cataloging system; HY = Harvard-Yenching cataloging system)
The Korean and Vietnamese collections will NOT be affected. Basement-level staff offices will also remain open. See the Harvard-Yenching Library Map.
We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we improve our facilities. If there is anything we can do to facilitate your research given these limitations, please e-mail Access Services or the Reference Desk or call 617-495-2756.
On this page
- Borrowing without a Harvard ID
- Fines
- Loan Periods
- Obtaining materials from the Harvard Depository
- Recalling
- Renewing
- Research Assistant Borrowing Privileges Card
- Returning
- Tracing Materials
- Using Reserve Readings
- Using Non-Circulating Collections
- Borrowing Privileges at the MIT Libraries for Members of the Harvard FAS Community
In general. . .
- Borrowing privileges within the Harvard College Library—Cabot, Fine Arts, Fung, Government Documents/Microforms, Harvard Map Collection, Harvard-Yenching, Houghton, Lamont, Loeb Music, Quad, Tozzer, and Widener—are extended to individuals who hold either a current Harvard ID or an HCL Special Borrower Card. (Note: In Lamont and Quad libraries the Special Borrower Card must be embossed with a "C" or "U".) ID cards are not transferable.
- There is no limit to the number of items a user may borrow.
- All material is subject to Recall.
- A University PIN is required to access many online library resources. Harvard University faculty, students, and staff may request a PIN at http://www.pin.harvard.edu/.
- All library users are subject to the terms of the HCL Patron Agreement, which is posted in student handbooks, on this site, and available in hard copy at each HCL library.
Loan Periods
This chart indicates loan periods for general library materials.
| Category |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduates | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| G1 Graduate | 28 | 28 | 28 | term | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| G2 Graduate | 28 | 28 | 28 | term | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| G3 Graduate | 28 | 28 | 28 | term | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| G4 Graduate | 28 | term | term | term | 28 | term | term | term |
| HCL Special Borrower | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| Faculty | 28 | term | term | term | 28 | term | term | term |
| Faculty Research Assistant | 28 | term | term | term | 28 | term | term | term |
| Officer | 28 | term | term | term | 28 | term | term | term |
| Staff | 28 | 28 | term | term | 28 | term | term | term |
| Extension School Program | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
Loan periods for periodicals, reserves, loaner laptops, and audio-visual media vary, so inquire at the lending library.
Some libraries have Non-Circulating Collections.
In Loeb Music Library, audio-visual materials are non-circulating; however, Harvard Music Department faculty and teaching fellows may borrow these materials for two weeks for class preparation.
A special extended loan period program for G1–G3 Graduate School of Arts and Sciences students only is available in Widener, Fine Arts, and Loeb Music libraries. See Extended Loan Period Program for details and application.
Harvard-Yenching Library is currently circulating bound periodicals, yearbooks, and monograph series as part of a pilot program to determine the feasibility of circulating bound journals. See Bound Journal Circulation Pilot Project for details.
Fines
Non-receipt of overdue notices does not exempt users from overdue fines. Unpaid fines are charged to the user's term bill or through Accounts Receivable.
The following fines apply to:
- All undergraduates in all libraries
- G1–G3 graduate students in all libraries
- Faculty, Officers, and G4 Graduate Students in Cabot, Harvard-Yenching, Lamont, Loeb Music, Tozzer
- HCL Special Borrowers in all libraries
| Offense | Fine |
|---|---|
| Overdue book or item | $0.50 per day |
| Overdue Recalled book or item | $2 per day |
| Overdue Reserve book or item | $0.02 per minute |
| Unreturned book or item | Replacement cost plus applicable overdue fines |
| Loaner laptop | Up to $14.40 per day |
Faculty are responsible for any lost books charged on their behalf by any of their research assistants.
The following fines apply to:
- Faculty, Officers, and G4 Graduate Students in Fine Arts, Fung, and Widener
| Offense | Fine |
|---|---|
| Overdue book or item | $5 per item |
| Overdue Recalled book or item | $2 per day |
| Unreturned book or item | $75 per item |
Faculty are responsible for any lost books charged on their behalf by any of their research assistants.
The "Your Account" section of HOLLIS permits users to view their fines. Please note that as soon as the fine is transferred to a term bill or accounts receivable, the fine will appear as a closed record in the "Your Account" section; however, the fine is still due. For fine inquiries and payments for Widener items, please contact the Billing Office at 617-496-3015 or via e-mail. For inquiries and payments at other libraries, contact the Circulation Desk of that library. For contact information, see the HCL Libraries page.
If a bill is received from the Accounts Receivable or Term Bill offices, all payments must be made directly to those offices. To pay a bill prior to billing by one of those offices, submit payment by cash, check, or Crimson Cash in person at the lending library.
Renewing
Materials can be renewed either in person at the lending library or online, up to five times, via "Your Account" in the HOLLIS catalog. After the fifth renewal, materials must be brought to the library to be checked out. Renewals are not accepted via telephone or fax.
Please note that if a borrower brings a book renewed online back into the lending library, it must be re-stamped at the Circulation Desk before it can leave the building. This quick procedure ensures that the book reflects the official due date recorded in the computer database. It also indicates to the doorchecker at the guard desk that the book is indeed checked out.
All library users are responsible for returning or renewing items charged to them on time.
Recalling
Material that is on loan to one library user may be recalled by another. Any item currently checked out can be recalled. (Once the item has been recalled, the date stamped on the checkout slip is no longer valid.)
A recall notice will come via mail or e-mail. Borrowers are guaranteed 10 days use with each charged item that is recalled, unless it is needed for reserves use. If the guaranteed use period has elapsed, the recalled item is due seven days after the date the recall is placed.
All borrowers, regardless of category, who do not respond promptly to recalls will be fined (see Fines) and may be subject to suspension of library borrowing privileges.
Any user with a valid Harvard ID or HCL Special Borrower Card can place a recall request. Recalls are placed through a HOLLIS catalog record by choosing Full View/Availability/Request and following the prompts.
Obtaining Materials from the Harvard Depository
Some library materials are stored at an off-site facility called the Harvard Depository (HD). This will be indicated in the availability section of the HOLLIS catalog record. Materials can be retrieved from the Harvard Depository directly through HOLLIS by following the prompts.
- Find a record in HOLLIS and choose format Full View
- Click on the Availability link
- Click on the Request link, (if there is no request button, follow the directions in the Item Status column)
- Enter your Harvard ID number and PIN
- Click on Send Request to complete your request
Materials requested from HD will be available for pick-up at the owning library by 3 pm the next business day. A University PIN is required. Harvard University faculty, students, and staff may request a PIN at http://www.pin.harvard.edu/.
Authorized visitors with Widener Library Reading Room Privileges may request Widener HD items at the Phillips Reading Room Desk.
Returning
Books can be returned in person or mailed (priority, insured) to the attention of Book Return at the lending library. See the HCL Libraries page for addresses.
Please go to the Billing Office in Widener Library or the library Circulation Desk to clear overdue books or to report lost materials.
Tracing Library Materials
If a library item appears in the HOLLIS record as not checked out, but cannot be found in the stacks, notify the staff at the Circulation Desk and they will initiate a trace to try to locate the item.
Borrowing without a Harvard ID
Individuals without a Harvard ID—alumni/ae, faculty members at other institutions, Ph.D. candidates at other institutions, and other researchers not affiliated with Harvard University—may be eligible for one or more of the following types of borrowing privileges: Reading Room Privileges Card, HCL Special Borrower Card, Stacks Access Card. Privileges are obtained through the Library Privileges Office.
Library Privileges Office
Widener Library
Room 130
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
617-495-4166
The hours of operation are Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–4:45 pm. Fees may apply.
Using Non-Circulating Collections
Fung Library
The Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies collections in the Fung Library do not circulate and may only be used in the library.
Harvard Film Archive
The films in the Harvard Film Archive collections do not circulate for private use by individuals; however, films are available for Harvard classroom screenings and loans to other film archives and institutions.
Students, filmmakers, artists, and researchers may use the collections on-site at the Harvard Film Archive.
Government Documents/Microforms
Government Document/Microforms materials do not circulate. All materials must be used within Research Services on Level B of Lamont.
Some titles are stored off-site in the Harvard Depository. Harvard affiliates may request these materials via the HOLLIS catalog by clicking on "request" when availability information is displayed. Material requested from the Depository will be delivered to the library by 3:30 pm the following business day.
Because Harvard College Library is a U.S. federal, Canadian and U.N. depository, library titles from the Harvard Depository may also be requested by the public. Please call 617-495-2106 to make arrangements.
Non-Harvard researchers who are traveling a long distance or have time constraints are strongly encouraged to e-mail at least one month in advance of arrival to ensure the titles needed will be available.
Harvard Map Collection
The Harvard Map Collection is a reference collection consisting of non-circulating materials; however, the wall map collection circulates for classroom instruction. Harvard faculty and teaching fellows are encouraged to contact the Map Collection if they wish to have specific cartographic materials placed on hold for their classes. Advance notice is appreciated. Contact the Map Collection by phone at 617-495-2417, by fax at 617-496-0440, or via e-mail.
Houghton Library (including Harvard Theatre Collection)
Houghton Library collections do not circulate. All materials are used in the reading rooms.
Houghton material housed at the Harvard Depository is called for and viewed in the Houghton Reading Room. Readers are advised that retrieval of material from the Harvard Depository usually takes one day and are encouraged to contact Reading Room staff in advance at 617-495-2440 or via e-mail if records in HOLLIS show a Houghton/Harvard Depository location.
Houghton Library does lend materials for exhibitions. For more information, please see Guidelines for Exhibition Loan Requests.
