If we compare professors and students to the host of a university, then the library of a university can be compared to the hallway. The quality of a university, to some extent, is in direct proportion to that of its library. At Harvard, the library is an indispensible part of everybody's life. Both the quantity and the quality of the library make study an enjoyable process.

如果把教授和学生比作一所大学的主人，那么大学的图书馆就是门厅。一所大学 的质量在一定程度上与其图书馆的质量成正比。在哈佛，图书馆是每个人生活中不可 缺少的一部分。图书馆的数量和质量都让在哈佛的学习成为一个享受的过程。

Harvard Library is not only the most ancient library in the United States, but the largest university library with the largest scale. In 1638 John Harvard donated his whole library to the then Harvard College. After 300 years of development, the library now holds 10 millions of books and comprises more than 100 branch libraries. In addition to the libraries owned by each school, there are special libraries. While most of the branch libraries are on Harvard campus, some are as far as in Washington, D.C., or even in Florence of Italy. Yenching Library is famous for its collections of East Asian literature. Lamont Library is the first library in the world that is exclusively for undergraduates. Widener Library is the largest library in Harvard, only second to Library of Congress.

哈佛图书馆不仅是美国最古老的图书馆，也是世界上藏书最多、规模最大的大学 图书馆。1638年约翰哈佛把他的藏书都捐给了当时的哈佛学院。经过300年的发展， 图书馆现在拥有藏书1000多万册，设有100多个分馆。不仅每个学院都有自己的图 书馆，还有各类专业图书馆。虽然大部分分馆都在哈佛校内，但也有一些远在首都华盛顿，甚至在意大利的佛罗伦萨。燕京图书馆以其东亚馆藏而闻名。莱蒙特图书馆是 世界上第一个本科生专用图书馆。威德纳图书馆是哈佛最大的图书馆，馆藏仅次于美 国国会图书馆。

What deserves to be mentioned is the system or rather the service of the libraries. Usually the libraries are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. The main libraries are open until 10 p.m.. The libraries for undergraduates will even be open all night during the examination period. The libraries also provide with students the service of preparing reading materials for all courses. At the beginning of a semester, each teacher will give a list of books to the Li_ brarians.The librarians are responsible to find out these books and put them at the places where students can easily find them.

值得一提的是各图书馆的体系，或者确切说是服务。通常图书馆从早上9点开 到晚上5点，主要的图书馆开到晚上10点。而本科生图书馆在考试期间则通宵开放。 图书馆还为学生提供所有课程的阅读材料。在学期开始时，任课教师会给图书馆一个 书单。图书管理员负责找出这些书，并把书放在便于学生查找的地方。

There is no limitation for the number of books that students can borrow. As the space for the library is limited, many books are stored in suburban library. Despite this, students can go to fetch the book at the appointed library within 24 hours after they submit request for that book. Even if there is only one book to be fetched from the suburban library, the libraries on campus will send someone to do the job. This kind of service which put readers in the first place is rare even in Ivy League. Therefore, study at Harvard will be an enjoyable experience.

学生借书没有限量。因为图书馆空间有限，有很多书都存放在郊外的藏书库。尽管如此，学生在提交索要申请后的24小时内就可以到指定的图书馆取回书。即使只有一本书要从郊外的藏书库提取，校内的图书馆也会派人去取。这种读者至上的服务 即使在常春藤联盟也是极为难得的。所以，在哈佛学习将会是一个非常愉快的经历。