Reproductions

The Botany Libraries use HOLLIS Special Request to process requests. Researchers can create a Hollis Special Request account and then submit requests through Hollis or Hollis for Archival Discovery. You do not need to be affiliated with Harvard to create an account. If you have any questions please email botref@oeb.harvard.edu.

Reference Scans

The Botany Libraries provides reference scans on request. Currently, scanning for reference pdfs is done in-house at no charge. In order to ensure that all patrons receive their copies in a timely manner, we have limits in the amount that patrons can request at this time.

Limits for published material in copyright: 

  • Two (2) articles, chapters, sections, or page ranges from the same copyrighted volume or work (including introductions and other prefatory or supplemental material)
  • Twenty percent (20%) of the work. Please note, the length of the work does not matter, so ten pages from a ten-page work would still count as the entire work.

Limits for published out-of-copyright material:

  • Up to fifty (50) pages in-house. 

Limits for unpublished material: 

  • Up to one hundred (100) pages of manuscript material per calendar year

Things to know: 

  • Please leave a note in your Hollis Special Request with a list in order of priority if your request is for more than a single item or folder. In the event that your requests exceed the amount we can scan, we will cancel the remainder of your requests.
  • Please note that we may not be able to scan or photograph items due to their condition, size, University restriction, or donor agreement. Staff will be in touch if the material you have requested cannot be scanned.
  • We can only scan paper materials and print photographs. Original artwork, oversize materials, audiovisual materials, microfilm, slides, negatives, and other media formats cannot be scanned in-house. Harvard Library’s Imaging Services may be able to provide imaging of some materials; audiovisual materials require the use of an outside vendor. Please contact the Botany Libraries with questions.
  • The Botany Libraries provides copies at the folder level for archival materials. For example, if you request a folder of correspondence from a collection's finding aid in HOLLIS for Archival Discovery, we will provide a copy of the full contents of the folder rather than a selection of letters by correspondent or date range within the folder.
  • Botany Libraries staff can conduct up to an hour’s research on your behalf to help identify or refine material for photoduplication requests. 

Timeline for Request Completion

Requests are processed in the order received, with priority given to Harvard students and faculty. We anticipate most requests will be fulfilled within four weeks of receipt; some requests may take longer depending on the complexity of the request and the condition of materials.

Publication-Quality scans

High resolution publication-quality scanning is done through the fee-based Harvard Library Imaging Services department.  Pricing is determined by the type of material, its condition, whether special handling is required, quantity, and other factors. An estimate of cost can be found on the Imaging Services department website. Contact the Botany Libraries for more information.

Existing digital images and files

If images have already been digitized, patrons can request a high-resolution image by placing a request through their Hollis Special Request account for an “existing digital file.”