Special Collections and Archives
Introduction.
The Library’s collection of rare and valuable books, including the Archives of the Museum, was compiled over the years from the Library’s general holdings. In this document, "Special Collections" refers to the rare book collection, the Archives, and the section of the Library that houses them. Special Collections contains approximately 15,000 volumes, the majority dating from before 1850, a great many of which were chosen from the more prominent collections given to the Library. The collection includes older serials in both the CONSER and the old MCZ classification systems, publications by the Museum staff, microforms, sound recordings, and videocassettes.
Policies
Special Collections is open Monday through Friday, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm.
Please observe the following policies when using Special Collections:
- Special Collections material does not circulate.
- Library users must register at the Circulation Desk, to apply for admittance to Special Collections. The Circulation staff will contact the Special Collections staff on behalf of the user. To register, sign the Special Collections guest book and show proper identification.
- Non-Harvard researchers who wish to use Special Collections may be requested to present a letter of introduction. Please contact the library.
- Please allow a reasonable amount of time for the use of Special Collections; the hours are more restricted and users are assisted on an individual basis.
- For extensive research, appointments should be made in advance.
- Citations only may be taken into Special Collections. If possible include author, title, date of publication. For serials cite call number only. No coats, bags, or purses are allowed. Paper and pencils will be provided.
- A limited amount of photocopying may be done (depending on condition of the material) by a staff member at a charge of 30 cents per copy.
Locating items.
Several information sources are available to locate specific items that may be in Special Collections: HOLLIS - Harvard’s on-line library catalog, the card catalog, and MARCOU. Library staff can provide detailed instructions on how to use these facilities. The records for volumes housed in Special Collections are designated "Special Collections," "Spec. Coll.," "MCZ-Agassiz," "X," or "XM" (miniature books). MARCOU is a computerized short title catalog of the rare book and serial collections; it contains main entry (author or title) and chronological lists with location codes. HOLLIS also contains holdings information for Special Collections. The card catalog in the Reference Room contains records for Special Collections books acquired before mid-1990. There is a separate card catalog for the Archives, located inside Special Collections.
The Museum Archives consists mainly of papers of members of the staff since the Museum’s founding in 1859. It includes manuscripts, correspondence, field notes, journals, departmental and curatorial records, drawings, photographs, scrapbooks and other materials concerning zoology and paleontology, primarily in the 19th and 20th centuries. A collection of portraits of scientists from Aristotle to the present is also maintained. Related materials are housed in Houghton Library and the University Archives in Pusey Library.
The Romer Library of Vertebrate Paleontology houses a specialized collection in the field and is located on the first floor of the Museum. The staff of the Department of Vertebrate Paleontology services this special collection.