Spruill Harder

Spruill is the Associate Director of Access Services for Professional School Libraries at Harvard University, a role she has served in since July 2016. In this role, she oversees circulation and collection maintenance operations that span several Harvard Library locations, leading a team of over 30 staff and managers. Her responsibilities include oversight and consultancy of access services at seven Professional School libraries and six Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) research libraries. Beyond her core duties, she manages several additional operational areas: 

• Digital Course Reserves Unit: She leads this unit, based at Widener Library, overseeing a specialized team focused on the provisioning and management of digital course materials. 
• Digital Accessibility Initiatives: She plays a pivotal role in developing and refining workflows to enhance digital accessibility, ensuring support for patrons with print disabilities through partnerships with the Assistive Technology Center. 
• Self-Service Technologies: She is responsible for the strategic deployment and maintenance of self-checkout machines across various library locations. 

As a key member of the Access Services Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Spruill plays an integral role in strategic planning and the development of services. She leads monthly Access Service’s Extended Leadership Team (ELT) meetings, which enhance collaboration across units to bolster library services and staff effectiveness.  She is actively involved in the Library Accessibility Alliance Action Committee and Training Subcommittee, and the HathiTrust User Support Group. Through these platforms, she advocates for the creation of inclusive environments and works to expand library access for all patrons. Do not hesitate to contact Spruill for assistance with library accessibility.

She joined Harvard in 2001 and progressed through various positions, including as Head of Access Services for Arts, Design, and Music Libraries, and previously as Public Services Librarian at the Fine Arts Library. She graduated with a Master of Library Science from Simmons University and a Bachelor of Arts in Art from Wells College.