Schlesinger Library / Research Services

Permissions and Copyright

Close-up of writing in a notebook
Photo by Kevin Grady

The vast majority of Schlesinger Library material is either in the public domain or under copyrights not controlled by the Schlesinger Library. Persons wishing to quote, publish, perform, reproduce, or otherwise make use of an item in the library’s collections must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of the copyright holder.

The Schlesinger Library encourages the use and reuse of its public domain materials in research, teaching, and learning. For more information, see the Harvard Library Policy on Access to Digital Reproductions of Works in the Public Domain.

In most cases, the Schlesinger Library does not require researchers to request permission from the library to quote from unpublished materials in its collections. However, some manuscript collections have donor restrictions regarding publication. Restrictions are usually noted in the finding aid, but researchers are encouraged to contact the library if they have any questions. 

When citing a Schlesinger collection the preferred format is:

[Name of the Collection], Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.

For information on using images from the Schlesinger Library please see the Library's Image Use Policy

The library does not hold copyright in most of its audiovisual material. Please use this form to inquire about publishing audiovisual material.