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Manuscripts, Frequently Asked Questions

The answer to many commonly asked questions dealing with Special Collections can be found on our Reading Room Rules page. The following FAQS address questions specifically regarding the use of manuscripts.

Who should I contact about accessing manuscripts?
Are the collections stored on-site?
Do I need to contact Special Collections in advance if I would like to consult manuscript boxes?
How much material can I request at any one time?
If a manuscript has been microfilmed or digitized can I still access the original?
Is it possible to have photocopies made?
What permissions are required to quote from or publish a manuscript from the Harvard Law Library's collection?
How should I cite manuscripts?

Who should I contact about accessing manuscripts?

We recommend that researchers intending to visit contact someone on the staff in advance to make arrangements for your research visit. Please be prepared to provide details about your research project, the collections you are interested in, and the dates that you would like to visit. Appropriate staff to contact:

Are the collections stored on-site?

No. Due to very limited on-site space most of our collections are stored off-site at the Harvard Depository.

Do I need to contact Special Collections in advance if I would like to consult manuscript boxes?

Yes. We require at least one-and-a-half business days' notice to recall boxes. Boxes requested by 3:00 PM will be available by 2:00 PM the following business day.

How much material can I request at any one time?

We can retrieve a maximum of 10 boxes per day per researcher from off-site storage. Due to limited on-site storage space, we must also limit the total number of boxes held on site for any one researcher. There is no set maximum but we routinely request that researchers send boxes back before requesting additional boxes.

If a manuscript has been microfilmed or digitized can I still access the original?

No, if a manuscript has been microfilmed or digitized (or if any fascimile is available) researchers must use the copy.

Is it possible to have photocopies made?

Requests for photocopies, microfilm, photographs, slides, scans, and transparencies are considered on a case-by-case basis. Permission depends upon the physical condition of the material in question, and should not be assumed in advance.

Please refer to our Duplication Services page for more details.

What permissions are required to quote from or publish a manuscript from the Harvard Law Library’s collection?

Permission to publish portions of manuscript collections must be obtained from the Curator of Modern Manuscripts and Archives, Harvard Law School Library, Langdell Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138. Appropriate forms may be obtained from

Authors are reminded that, except in the cases of collections where the Library holds copyright (formerly called literary property rights), permission must also be obtained from the holder(s) of this right. 

How should I cite manuscripts?

We are frequently asked to provide recommendations regarding what collection information to include in footnotes that reference our manuscripts.

Publishers, professional journals, and graduate faculties may prescribe their own style. Whatever sequence you decide upon, however, should be used consistently throughout the same work. We ask at a minimum that identification consist of the date and title of the item, name of the collection, location in the collection (if applicable), and the name of the repository.