Houghton adds 2,000th finding aid to OASIS Catalog

Houghton Library, Harvard’s main rare book and manuscript depository, has vast holdings collected over centuries. Yet until these available resources are cataloged, they are considered “hidden collections” — difficult to find.

In recent years, Houghton has made efforts to expedite its cataloging process by making accurate, yet less-detailed records that allow catalogers to create more finding aids in less time. Heavily used collections still may be revisited, adding detail to the finding aids as needed.

In August, Houghton Library succeeded in adding its 2,000th finding aid to the Online Archival Search Information System (OASIS) catalog at Harvard, a milestone indicative of the library’s effort to improve the accessibility of the library’s collections. To explore the Harvard archives through OASIS, visit http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu/.