Schlesinger Library
Address3, James Street, Cambridge, MA, United States of America, 02138
Site Number552
Building Root Number
03032
Architect (Original)
Winslow & Bigelow
Building Acquired
1907
Constructed 1907
Constructed 1907
StatusActive
Materials for this building in our collection are not fully processed at this time.
Site Name HistoryThe site is named after Arthur Schlesinger (1888-1965), a professor of history at Harvard from 1924 to 1954, and Elizabeth Schlesinger, his wife and a noted feminist.Historical NotesSchlesinger Library was built in 1907 as the library for Radcliffe College. It was partially funded by a gift of Andrew Carnegie, an industrialist in the American steel industry, as well as Radcliffe alumnae.Additional Information
The Joan R. Challinor Research Commons
Radcliffe College Room
Carol K. Pforzheimer Reading Room
The Lia and William Poorvu Gallery
General Information by and about the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America. Harvard University Archives HUE 74.180.25
Radcliffe College Architectural Drawings, 1885-2006. (1885). Schlesinger Library call number RGXXXIII
“Transforming a Historic Space.” News from the Schlesinger Library, Spring 2016, p. 12.
"Radcliffe Library. Work Begins on This Imposing Structure, Which, Together with Furnishings, Will Cost $150,000." Cambridge Tribune, 16 Mar. 1907.
"Radcliffe’s New Library. A Handsome Building Being Built for Co-Eds of Harvard." Kansas City Star, Vol. 28, no. 97, 23 Dec. 1907, p. 11.
"The Radcliffe Library." Cambridge Tribune, 13 May 1905.
"Ground Is Broken for New Radcliffe Library." Boston Journal, No. 24095, 1 June 1907, p. 7.
"Radcliffe Library Nearing Completion." Cambridge Tribune, 15 Feb. 1908.
"Radcliffe Library. Splendid New Building, for Which the College Has Long Labored, Now Open to the Students." Cambridge Tribune, 16 May 1908.
Grant, Ted. "Schlesinger Library Opens After Repairs." The Harvard Crimson, 7 Feb. 2005, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2005/2/7/schlesinger-library-opens-after-repairs-the/.
"Carnegie Gift for Radcliffe Library." The Harvard Crimson, 12 May 1905, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1905/5/12/carnegie-gift-for-radcliffe-library-pmr/.
Chow, Liana E. and Schumer, Ema R. "Harvard Radcliffe Institute Renovating Schlesinger Library To Increase Use of Collections." The Harvard Crimson, 19 Nov. 2018, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2018/11/19/schlesinger-library--renovations/.
“New Radcliffe Library: Handsome Building Being Built Will Hold 60,000 Volumes, and Its Reading Room Will Accomodate 200 Readers at One Time.” Boston Daily Globe, 1 Dec. 1907, p. 40.