Welcome to the Woodberry Poetry Room, a lively center of literary activity at Harvard University. Located in Lamont Library, in a space designed by Alvar Aalto, the library features a large collection of poetry monographs and a landmark archive of literary recordings.
All are invited to access our collections, attend our events, and enjoy our space. (Members of the public should inform the front desk that they are “visiting the Poetry Room”).
Public tours and class visits are also a wonderful way to encounter the room: learn more by scrolling down this page, or contacting us directly. We look forward to welcoming you.
“Let us go & make our visit....”
Events
The Poetry Room hosts a popular series of readings, seminars, oral histories, and literary happenings throughout the academic year. All of our events are free and open to the public (and most are live-streamed).
Our Fall 2026 season will include readings by such authors as Shane McCrae, Eileen Myles, Ariana Reines, Brandon Shimoda, and Mai Der Vang.
ORAL HISTORY INITIATIVE: On Fanny Howe
Thursday, October 15 at 6:00pm
CCVA Auditorium, 24 Quincy Street
MOON COUNTRY: Contemporary Korean Poetry in Translation
Monday, October 19 at 6:00pm
Woodberry Poetry Room
VOCARIUM READING SERIES: Ariana Reines & Eileen Myles
Monday, November 2 at 6:00pm
CCVA Auditorium, 24 Quincy Street
WAX POETICS: Shane McCrae on John Berryman
Wednesday, November 18 at 6:00pm
Venue TBD (Stay tuned for more info)
VOCARIUM READING SERIES: Brandon Shimoda & Mai Der Vang
Thursday, December 3, 6:00pm
Edison-Newman Room, Houghton Library
Collections
The Poetry Room is home to a breathtaking range of collections, including a landmark archive of literary recordings, a selection of 20th and 21st century monographs and literary magazines, and a collection of rare books and manuscripts. While all collections are open to the public, circulating privileges are restricted to Harvard affiliates.
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CollectionArchive of Literary Recordings
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CollectionBlue Star Collection
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CollectionCirculating & Serials Collection
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Digital CollectionThe Listening Booth
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CollectionFrederick C. Packard, Jr. Sound Recordings
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Classes & Tours
The Woodberry Poetry Room offers a range of innovative educational opportunities, including staff-led audio seminars, public listening sessions, and group tours. While our standard seminar gives a broad overview of our A/V collection highlights and history, we are also happy to customize seminars for individual classroom needs. Advanced reservations are required.
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For faculty, graduate students, and educators wishing to schedule classes or seminars
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To discuss group tours or a more formal use of the space
Creative Fellowships
The Poetry Room's fellowship program supports projects by poets, writers, artists, and scholars who are interested in generating new work that further actualizes the Poetry Room’s collections —particularly the audio-video archive. Past recipients have included Rosa Alcalá, Gretchen Henderson, Fanny Howe, Tracie Morris, Sawako Nakayasu, Jonah Mixon-Webster, and Eileen Myles (pictured here).
About the Poetry Room
"The voice of the age is the Voices...."
—Brenda Hillman
With over 6,000 literary recordings on a range of media that span the 20th and 21st centuries, the Poetry Room is home to one of the earliest and largest “library of voices” in the United States (1933–present).