New to archival research at the Harvard Library?The library provides to finding and accessing materials for research and teaching within Harvard Library's Special Collections and Archives, as well as a list of at Harvard.
WHO HAS ACCESS?
ACCESS AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS
ACCESS PAPER MATERIALS
FAQs
Who Has Access to the Collection?
Harvard Film Archive collections are open to all researchers regardless of academic affiliation. While you do not need to be affiliated with a university or professional organization, you do need to have a valid research project. If you are not sure if your idea qualifies, please submit a request and ask.
How Do I Make an Appointment to View Audiovisual Materials?
Requests to view audiovisual materials must be submitted at least ten business days before your proposed visit date. To maintain our rigorous preservation standards, advanced scheduling allows staff to safely transport and inspect materials closely. In addition, our viewing spaces are shared with colleagues in the AFVS department and must be carefully scheduled.
- Access to prints is limited to titles that are not available on video or online, with exceptions granted at the discretion of HFA staff.
- For guidance on conducting film research at Harvard, including locating DVDs and streaming video or accessing DVD material via interlibrary loan, please reference this guide. Additionally, the Film Study Library, located on the fourth floor of Sever Hall, has a large, non-circulating collection of DVDs and videos, including many rare titles.
- Viewing appointments are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Researchers with limited schedules or those coming from out of town to view materials are strongly advised to reserve an appointment prior to finalizing travel arrangements.
- Requests are granted at the discretion of the HFA Collections staff and are not guaranteed. Researchers may need to obtain advance permission from donors or depositors for access to restricted collections. Staff may also restrict access to materials on the basis of physical condition, preservation status or other considerations.
The Harvard Film Archive's audiovisual materials are accessed by appointment only at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts. Viewings take place on-site only, Monday through Friday, 10am to 5pm.
Access can include viewing material in the HFA’s theater, on a flatbed viewer, or via a digital copy. Some requests can take up to 12 weeks to fulfill. In some cases, preservation concerns will require us to restrict access to certain materials.
To submit a request, please email the following information to hfa@fas.harvard.edu:
- Full name and contact information
- A short description of your research project
- Prioritized list of titles essential to your project, including HOLLIS links or HFA item numbers if possible
- Proposed dates of visit
Harvard University welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Facilities for research viewing are accessible, but if you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please include that in your request.
How Do I Make An Appointment to Access Paper Materials?
The Harvard Film Archive's manuscript collections and paper-based materials are accessed through the Houghton Library Reading Room.
Requests for paper materials must be submitted via HOLLIS Special Request at least two business day in advance by 4pm.
Please reference to learn about Houghton's specific policies for use and guidelines for requesting materials. If you are new to researching with primary materials, start with the on using Harvard's Special Collections and Archives.
After reading through the guides, if you still have questions, please contact our reference staff at hfa@fas.harvard.edu
ACCESS FAQS
Do I have to make an appointment ten business days in advance? How strict is this rule?
Yes, and this rule is strictly enforced.
Can I borrow or purchase a DVD or digital copy of an item in your collection?
No. You must make an appointment to visit the HFA to view moving image works from the film collection. In limited cases streaming digital copies are made available for research use.
I do not live in the area. Can I request online copies of audiovisual materials for remote research?
It depends. Many materials in the HFA's Exhibition Collections are available via streaming or DVD elsewhere, so please check first for copies in alternate formats. Materials in the HFA's Artists' Collections are typically not available for digital streaming, particularly materials intended by their creators for viewing in their original formats. In the case of unique Research Collections, we do strive to provide digital access when legal guidelines permit. In all cases, requests are granted at the discretion of the HFA Collections staff and are not guaranteed. The reformatting process can take many months and your request will be placed in a queue. In some cases, reformatting fees will be charged. For research use, researchers are required to sign a Use Agreement and do not receive copies of files but will be given a specific time window for secure streaming access.
I do not live in the area. Can the HFA staff conduct research on my behalf?
Due to the high volume of requests our small staff receives, we cannot offer the service of consulting material on behalf of researchers. If you cannot visit, you are welcome to send a proxy in your stead.
I see that the HFA cinematheque screened a particular print in a program last year. Can I watch it at the HFA?
Only films and videos that are part of the HFA collection are available for viewing on site. Many films are screened on loan from outside sources and are returned when the program ends. To find out if a particular film is available, please inquire.
Do you license footage from the collection?
Staffing levels do not allow us to provide stock footage research or fulfill broad stock footage requests.
If the footage you need exists only at the HFA, staff will review your request. In most cases the HFA is not the copyright holder and you will be required to provide proof that you have cleared all rights issues with the copyright owners before we can make materials available to you. The majority of the HFA collections are not in a digital format, and the reformatting process can take many months depending on the condition of the materials and lab availability, which usually does not suit a production timeline. Reformatting fees will be charged for licensing requests.
