Harvard Library

**About Harvard Library** We champion curiosity for the betterment of the world. **Who We Are** We are the libraries and archives of Harvard University. At Harvard Library, we are champions of curiosity. We aim to be global leaders in expanding world knowledge and intellectual exploration. We engage with our communities in the creation and sharing of new knowledge, connecting them with the vast collections that we curate and steward through collaborations around the world. At its core, our mission for nearly four centuries has been to advance the learning, research, and pursuit of truth that are at the heart of Harvard. Our efforts are motivated and powered by working collaboratively, embracing diverse perspectives, championing access, aiming for the extraordinary, and always leading with curiosity. We have over 800 staff engaging with scholars and students across more than 25 libraries and around the world. With over 20 million physical and digital items, our vast collections are renowned for their global reach and depth, with resources spanning the development of all disciplines and more than 460 languages. Our rare and special collections are among the most remarkable in the world, ranging from medieval manuscripts to sound recordings of modern poets and from early maps to digital images. We collect collaboratively with peer institutions and facilitate international open access, seeking to build a diverse, open corpus of knowledge with scholars and citizens everywhere. Established in 1638, we are the oldest library system in the United States and the world’s largest academic library. **Our Strategic Framework** **Our Purpose** We champion curiosity for the betterment of the world. **Our Vision** We aspire to be global leaders in expanding world knowledge and intellectual exploration. **Our Mission** We are expert partners on the pathways to knowledge. We engage with our communities in the creation and sharing of new knowledge, connecting them with vast collections that we curate and steward with collaborators around the world. At its core, our mission is to advance the learning, research and pursuit of truth that are at the heart of Harvard. **Our Values** ***Lead with curiosity.*** We expand intellectual frontiers and remain in awe of what we do not yet know. ***Seek collaboration.*** We bring people and ideas together from within and beyond because we believe partnership creates more interesting results. ***Embrace diverse perspectives.*** We cultivate and celebrate diversity in our collections and our community to construct a more inclusive and just world. ***Champion access.*** We enhance access to information and advance inclusive models of scholarly communication. ***Aim for the extraordinary.*** We drive progress and deliver the unexpected, building on our past and forging the future.