As Harvard’s archive of rare books, manuscripts, and the literary and performing arts, Houghton offers many opportunities open to all for teaching and learning with primary sources and unique texts, including manuscripts, photographs, popular culture materials, spoken voice recordings, and more.
Our staff are experts in primary source research, analysis, and pedagogy. We are happy to collaborate on and lead class or group visits with hands-on exploration of our collections, provide student consultations, or develop out-of-class learning experiences.
Whether you are looking to bring a class or group to Houghton Library for a single visit, develop a semester-long project with us, or anything in between, we're here to facilitate your learning and curiosity.
We welcome classes, collaborations, and explorations with groups or classes at any level or affiliation.
Request Class Support
The first step to working with Houghton Library for a course or group visit is submitting a request. If you have questions about what kinds of opportunities we can offer, you can also get in touch with us for more information. Once your request has been received, we'll work with you to find the materials and activities that will best support your learning goals.
Request a Teaching and Learning Visit to Houghton
Things to Know
- Please make your requests early. Four weeks is our minimum notice, but the sooner you get in touch with us, the more likely we'll be able to accommodate your request.
- We are happy to host repeat visits but cannot host more than 4 total visits per course.
- We limit most visits to 12 items or containers, to allow students to engage more closely with the materials.
- We finalize item lists at least two weeks ahead of the visit, and we may select substitutes for items that are too fragile to use.
- If you have additional business to accomplish on the date of your visit, like lectures or slide presentations, please use your regular classroom or meeting space for those activities.
You'll be asked for the following information when you submit a request:
- goals for your group's work with our collections
- course title and number (if applicable)
- instructor/leader contact information
- number of participants
- possible dates and times for your visit, in order of preference
Preparing Your Students
- Make sure your students or group know where to meet. We typically meet in the Houghton lobby before going to our classrooms. Printing workshops meet in the lobby of Lamont.
- Participants are welcome to bring in cell phones and sometimes laptops. We provide pencil and paper for taking notes. If you expect to need other material in our classrooms (like notebooks or course readings), talk to us in advance.
- To protect our collections from accidental damage, everyone will be asked to put most of their personal belongings (including all bags, laptop cases, and jackets) in lockers. Food and drink are also not allowed in our classrooms.
- Due to the nature of our materials, special collections libraries typically have different security measures than other libraries. Our classrooms have cameras and the lobby guards will ask to inspect all materials brought in and out of Houghton.
Houghton's Printing Studio
Our printing studio can accommodate small groups for interactive demonstrations on the invention of printing and other hands-on workshops customized to your teaching and learning goals.