Access for Guests of Harvard Law School or Harvard University
Harvard Law School Library welcomes guests of Harvard Law School and Harvard University departments and programs. We encourage you to contact us in advance. Non affiliated guests may also choose to contact us directly with their questions about using the collection.
To obtain access for your guest, a Harvard Law School or Harvard University department and program can do any of the following:
- Accompany the guest to the Circulation Desk in Langdell Hall to verify that they are a guest of your department
- Send your guest to the library with a letter of introduction on your department letterhead
- E-mail us from your Harvard email at least three days before your guest’s visit and include your guest’s name, e-mail address, and the dates of their stay
- Fax a copy of the Access Application to the Access Services Department at (617) 496-2666.
We are happy to set up an access pass for your guest in advance so they simply need to drop by the Langdell Circulation Desk and pick up it up whenever the library is open. The pass is only valid at the Harvard Law School Library and provides your guest with access to the collection without borrowing privileges. Only those with a current Harvard ID are able to borrow items from the Law Library’s collection.
Please note that if your guest is a Harvard affiliated students, faculty, and staff with a current Harvard University ID they already qualify for admittance to the Law Library and borrowing privileges. A Harvard University Officer Dependent, Harvard University Spouse or Widow/er, or Research Assistant qualifies for admittance to the Law Library, and borrowing privileges, after obtaining a Special Borrower card at Harvard College Library Privileges Office, Widener Library, Room 130.
Access to Harvard's Libraries
If your guest requires access to any of the Harvard College Libraries (for example, Widener or Lamont), please contact the Harvard College Library Privileges Office, Widener Library, Room 130. The hours of operation are Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–4:45 pm. Inquiries can be made in person, by telephone at 617-495-4166, or by e-mail .
Access to LexisNexis and Westlaw
These databases can only be accessed by registered Harvard Law affiliates. If you have any questions regarding access to LexisNexis or Westlaw for your guest contact Langdell Reference at (617) 495-4516.
Admission to Special Collections
Manuscript and visual materials, along with rare books, are housed in the Library's Special Collections. For information concerning access to these materials, please visit the Special Collections page.
Contact Access Privileges
If you have any questions not answered here, don’t hesitate to email or call us at (617) 496-5510.