<p>I am moving to Cambridge in the coming months and intend to make use of Harvard's (and MIT's) excellent libraries.</p>
<p>It would be helpful if I could obtain borrowing privileges at these libraries, however this is not essential for me because of the electronic privileges I have from alum status at another university.</p>
<p>My concern is merely with physically getting inside the library buildings at Harvard. At my alma mater, it was routine for students to walk into any of the library (and other sorts of) buildings on campus without being stopped to show an ID; the libraries were basically open to public use (save for borrowing books). However, in doing research lately (as well as applying to graduate schools) I have discovered that some universities police the entrances of their libraries and do not allow persons to walk in, even to use a reading room, without presenting current ID to some authority. Others have policies on their websites stating that persons without campus IDs are not allowed in but do not in practice actually check IDs of persons entering.</p>
<p>So, my question is: given what you know about campus culture at Harvard, is it reasonable to expect to not have difficulties gaining entry to libraries as an 'independent researcher' (without a Harvard ID)? Is this something that is normally not a problem but currently is because of the 'occupation' of the Yard? Are all campus buildings and libraries equally strict?</p>
<p>Thank you,
S</p>