1961-1970

1960s-1970s

Repair and rebinding projects were ongoing at the Gray Herbarium and Arnold Arboretum libraries.178

1960-1961

Harvard received a grant from the Charles E. Merrill Trust to purchase new photographic equipment and to renovate the photographic laboratory in Widener.179

1960-1961

Plans began for a new undergraduate library at Radcliffe. In the meantime, hours were extended until later in the evening to meet student demand.180

1962-1963

Widener Library's Photographic Department produced more than 655,000 negative microfilm exposures and nearly 350,000 full-size copies. A new Xerox Copyflo machine was used to reproduce catalogue cards.181

Spring 1963

The Radcliffe Library began to require that patrons present an ID card in order to access the collection.182

1963-1964

Paul Buck wrote: “The output of the Library's Photographic Department during 1963-64 again broke previous records by a substantial margin. Card reproduction has already been mentioned; in addition, 1,139,477 negative microfilm exposures, 67,121 rapid copies, 346,144 electroprints, and 74,700 feet of positive microfilm were produced during the year.”183

1963-1964

Widener Library introduced full-time security guards to monitor exits and patrol the building. Paul H. Buck wrote: “It would have been rash to defer any longer this contribution to the safety of the collections and those who use them.”184

1963-1964

Concern about the condition of the map collection led the Graduate School of Design to inspect the collection, repairing and re-housing (in steel map-cases) when possible.185

1965-1966

A theft highlighted the need for enhanced security at Baker Library.186

1965-1966

The Gray Herbarium Library would no longer circulate books that were over one hundred years old.187

September 1966

Hilles Library opened to enthusiasm from Radcliffe students. Harvard men were so eager to use the new library that the Radcliffe Government Association circulated a petition to limit their access to Hilles. Radcliffe’s undergraduate collection was moved into this building, while the Radcliffe Women's Archives—now the Schlesinger Library—and the Radcliffe Institute were moved into the old Radcliffe Library building.188

1966

The Collection Maintenance Section was established within the Catalogue Department of Widener.189

1966

Catastrophic floods left Biblioteca Berenson at Villa I Tatti the only functioning library in Florence. (The Villa is located on a hill.) Fellows and staff members aided the relief efforts and salvage work. I Tatti facilities were used to clean, dry, and store negative plates rescued from the Gabinetto Fotografico of the Uffizi.190

1966-1967

Plans were made to clean, organize, and microfilm materials from the Theodore Roosevelt Collection, including “some 2,000 combustible nitrate negatives that are now in custody of the Cambridge Fire Department.”191

1966-1967

The Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America moved into renovated, air-conditioned quarters at Radcliffe.192

1967

Lamont Library began to admit Radcliffe students.193

1967-1968

Minor renovations of Widener’s windows, stacks, and doorways were intended to reduce the danger of a fire spreading due to drafts.194

20 August 1969

A thief failed to steal the Gutenberg Bible from Widener. In a year of student protests across America (during which some libraries were vandalized), Harvard was particularly concerned for the safety of its collections. Security was heightened at Widener and Houghton.195

14 October 1970

The detonation of a bomb at the Center for International Affairs (probably planted by affiliates of the radical Weatherman organization) did little damage, but “the result has been a reluctant decision to require identification cards for admission to that Library.”196

References

178 See Gray Herbarium and Arnold Arboretum reports of this period. For example, Reed C. Rollins, “Gray Herbarium,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1965-1966 (1967): 422

179 Paul H. Buck, “University Library,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1960-1961 (1962): 443.

180 Radcliffe College, “Libraries,” Report of the President 1960-1961 (1961): 36-37.

181 Paul H. Buck, “University Library,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1962-1963 (1964): 411.

182 Radcliffe College, “Other Student Services,” Report of the President 1961-1964 (1964): 16.

183 Paul H. Buck, “University Library,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1963-1964 (1965): 348.

184 Paul H. Buck, “University Library,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1963-1964 (1965): 355-356.

185 José Luis Sert, “Graduate School of Design,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1963-1964 (1965): 291.

186 George P. Baker, “Graduate School of Business Administration,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1965-1966 (1967): 303.

187 Reed C. Rollins, “Gray Herbarium,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1965-1966 (1967): 422.

188 Mary I. Bunting, “President’s Report,” Report of the President 1965-1967 (1967): 5-10.

189 “The Pusey Library and the Pusey Years,” Harvard Library Bulletin 19, no. 4 (1971): 441; Edwin E. Williams, “The Book-Preservation Problem as Seen at Harvard,” Harvard Library Bulletin 29, no. 4 (1981): 442.

190 Merle Fainsod and Douglas W. Bryant, “University Library,” and Myron P. Gilmore, “Villa I Tatti,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1966-1967 (1968): 418 and 514-515.

191 Merle Fainsod and Douglas W. Bryant, “University Library,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1966-1967 (1968): 410.

192 Ibid., 421; “The Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe,” Harvard Library Bulletin 15, no. 2 (1967): 221.

193 Gudrais, “A World of Books All Their Own.”

194 Merle Fainsod and Douglas W. Bryant, “University Library,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1967-1968 (1969): 386-387.

195 Merle Fainsod and Douglas W. Bryant, “University Library,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1968-1969 (1970): 357-358.

196 Merle Fainsod and Douglas W. Bryant, “University Library,” Report of the President of Harvard College and reports of departments 1970-1971 (1972): 381; Scott W. Jacobs, “Bomb Blasts CFIA Library; Damage Limited, None Hurt,” Harvard Crimson, 14 October 1970.