Do you accept book donations?

We are no longer able to take unsolicited donations of books or other library materials. While we have been fortunate over our long history to receive many valuable gifts, the current size and extent of our collections means that the very great majority of unsolicited gifts duplicate our current holdings. The process of reviewing and sifting through gifts is time-consuming and costly.

If you have a book you think we should add to our collection, please complete the purchase request form

For other ways to give to Harvard Library, please see this page on supporting the library.

Service Alert:
Winter Recess: Harvard Library and the University are closed from noon on Wednesday, December 24, 2025 through Thursday, January 1, 2026. Any questions sent during this period will be answered following our return on January 2, 2026.

 

Chat

 

 

Monday-Thursday 9am-9pm

Friday 9am-5pm

Saturday Closed

Sunday 12-7pm

 

Chat is intended for brief inquiries from the Harvard community.

Meet

Talk to a librarian for advice on defining your topic, developing your research strategy, and locating and using sources. Make an appointment now.

These services are intended primarily for Harvard University faculty, staff and students. If you are not affiliated with Harvard, please use these services only to request information about the Library and its collections.