HOLLIS ClassicEmployment
Harvard College Library, as part of Harvard University, is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Harvard encourages all qualified applicants to apply for our openings regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation or any other legally protected status.
It is the policy of Harvard College Library (HCL) to establish and adhere to standard recruitment procedures. It is HCL's policy that recruitment to fill full-time and part-time staff positions reflects a balanced commitment to equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, sound human resource management practices, and the mission and goals of the Library.
- About the Harvard College Library
- HCL Mission and Values Statements
- Benefited Positions -- Administrative/Professional and Support Staff
- Temporary and Less Than Half Time Jobs
- Student Jobs
- Spherion Temporary Assignments
- Office Location and Directions
- Harvard University Benefits
- Compensation
- The Hiring Process at Harvard
Benefited Positions
Administrative/Professional Positions
The majority of staff in this category are librarians who hold a graduate degree in library science and/or other advanced degree(s). This employment category also includes other professional and administrative/management positions that require specialized knowledge and experience.
Support Staff Positions
Support staff positions, also referred to as overtime-eligible, may be full-time or part-time. The majority of HCL employees in this category are library assistants, but examples of other position titles include staff assistant, microfilm camera operator, and accounting assistant. Most employees hired in overtime-eligible positions are members of the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW).
Applying for Benefited Positions
Administrative/professional staff and support staff positions for Harvard College Library are posted at www.employment.harvard.edu on the Employment at Harvard web site. You can also view Harvard University Job postings specifically in the Harvard College Library posted on the HCL Human Resource Services bulletin board, outside the Human Resource Services (HRS) office Widener Library. To apply for a position, please visit www.employment.harvard.edu and attach your resumé and cover letter including the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references to the desired requisition. Both external candidates and internal candidates applying for transfer or promotion should follow this procedure.
Interview Process for Benefited Positions
Interviews are conducted to collect additional information about job-related knowledge, skills, and behaviors. When a candidate is selected for an interview, the interviewing process begins with a member of the HCL Human Resource Services staff. The candidate is given general employment and benefits information, and there is a discussion about the responsibilities of the position. In the next phase of the interview process, qualified candidates may be interviewed by a search committee and/or members of the hiring department in order to gather job-related information that will aid in determining an individual's potential success in the position. Before a hiring decision is made, a thorough check of references and education history is conducted. The hiring supervisor, in consultation with Human Resource Services, then identifies the final candidate. The starting salary is established through the HRS office. The Human Resource Services office extends all offers of employment.
Temporary and Less-Than-Half-Time Positions
Temporary Positions
Temporary positions are open to anyone who currently is not enrolled as a Harvard student. Temporary employees are hired to work short-term assignments of no more than three months.
Less-Than-Half-Time (LHT) Positions
LHT positions are open to anyone who currently is not enrolled as a Harvard student. LHTs are hired to work for less than 15 hours per week.
Applying for Temporary and Less-Than-Half-Time Positions
Temporary and less-than-half-time job listings and applications are located in binders at the front of the HCL Human Resource Services office in Widener Library. Open positions are also posted on the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners web site. All applications must be submitted through the HCL Human Resource Services office. This office has responsibility for forwarding the applications to the hiring supervisors who screen the applications and select those qualified applicants they wish to interview.
Temporary and less-than-half-time employees are paid on an hourly basis for all hours worked and are not eligible to receive University benefits. These employees are not eligible for representation by the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW). Temporary and less-than-half-time employees are covered by University policies prohibiting illegal discrimination.
Student Positions
Student positions are open to full-time Harvard undergraduates or Harvard University graduate students who are currently enrolled in classes. Students are eligible to work up to 20 hours per week. They may work up to 40 hours per week during intersessions and the summer.
Working in the Widener Stacks
Ever thought of working at Widener
Library? Watch and listen to students describe their experiences
working as stacks assistants by visiting the Working in the Widener Stacks page.
Student positions are posted at the Student Employment Office.
To apply for a position in the Harvard College Library, please e-mail Abbey McGuire with the name or number of the position in the subject line, and include your resume. Feel free to contact Valerie at 617-495-3721 if you have any questions.
The Human Resource Services office receives all applications and forwards them to the hiring supervisors who contact applicants for interviews. Applicants should contact the Human Resource Services office with any questions about positions or the recruitment process.
Student workers are paid only for hours worked, and are not eligible for representation by the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (HUCTW). Student employees are covered by University policies prohibiting illegal discrimination.
For further information about employment opportunities at Harvard College Library, please visit the University's Employment @ Harvard site.
Spherion Temporary Assignments
Occasionally, HCL has temporary assignments that we fill with the assistance of the Spherion, an outside employment agency. You can contact Spherion directly at 617-495-1500.
Office Location and Directions
The Harvard College Library Human Resource Services Office is located on the ground floor of Widener Library in Room G-20. You must have a Harvard ID to enter the building. You may call us at 617-495-3721 to set up an appointment if you are interested in coming in to visit our office. Widener Library is located in Harvard Yard, so we do not have a street address. We are located directly across the street from 1280 Massachusetts Ave.
