Roadmap to Harvard Libraries: Where to Study?

WIDENER
Widener Library is the classic study spot on Harvard’s campus, featuring the second largest collection of books in the United States and even a Gutenberg bible. T
he imposing building stands right in the middle of the yard, its long row of steps leading up to the brass entrances, as if to present a constant reminder to the freshman in the yard of the greatness of the university they have entered.

As you walk through the doors, surveying the marble columns, the high arching ceilings, you remember that yes indeed, you go to Harvard and you can study in a place of fine stone and stained glass.

You feel particularly special when the security guard at the front desk tells the group of Asian tourists next to you that they aren’t allowed to enter through the turnstile without a Harvard ID—and please, no pictures whatsoever, put that camera away.

But you, oh Harvard student, can walk up those hallowed steps that slope down in the middle of each stone slab from the footsteps of the thousands of students who have walked here before you.

The large reading room gives the aura of the inside of a cathedral, silent, cold and tranquil, the dark wood benches stretching out as if long lines of pews, dotted with students crouched over their books like monks at prayer. Any noise—the opening of a water bottle, an errant cough-- jolts the room out of its stillness, echoing through the space.

The middle isle works as a runway, each new person that walks down an object of fascination, causing heads to briefly turn from the work at hand. For those who prefer a less conspicuous study area, Widener also offers the carrels in the stacks.

Walking through the maze of books, the lights sputtering on after each row is passed, one can spot a graduate student tucked away in a corner carrel, whose frazzled hair, unkempt clothes and un-showered demeanor warn of the dangers of an unmitigated plunge into academia.

But at least it’s quiet here, so that you too can begin the plunge into the annals of Foucault or Hemmingway. A little-known fact is that Widener also features a café, tucked away in an inconspicuous corner of the brown stone basement, which is open in the morning, along with vending machines to satisfy your hankering for caffeine or Doritos, without stepping outside the library.

LAMONT
Lamont library is a different beast altogether. A modern behemoth amidst the classical architecture of the yard’s other buildings, Lamont library’s stolid red brick façade offers a no-frills advertisements of the pain of studying to be had inside.

The building’s fluorescent lights shine an intoxicating neon glow onto the plaster walls and brown patterned carpeting; inside, it’s a time-warp so you can’t tell if it’s 2pm or 2am.

On a weekday night, there are always more people gathered here than anywhere else on campus; it’s obvious the Justice or Ec 10 exam is coming up from the books strewn open on the desks. Consequently, it’s always hard to find a place to sit—walk in at 9pm on a weeknight and you will find yourself aimlessly wandering the floors.

Even if one carrel seems open, look a little closer and there are the telltale stack of books and empty coffee cup, signaling possession over the spot. But the benefits of Lamont are many. The top floor is perfect for holing up, whether mid-day or mid-night, to write that 20-page history paper.

If you come to the library at the right time, you can always replace the uncomfortable wooden chair with a large stuffed one—provided the maintenance people don’t catch you. Lamont is also the only place to pull an all-nighter; the library never closes and there will always be a few poor souls, like yourself, rattling around the library, jittery from the caffeine or Adderall consumed to stay up until 4am.

The café is another major plus; though the sushi maybe be overpriced, the tuna sandwiches suspiciously old, just the fact that you can conceivably consume a balanced dinner without leaving the library adds an extra something.

Plus, the social nature of the space also adds to the overall effect; if you need a break, all you need to do is walk into the café and chat up the five-plus people you will invariably know there.