While the system has been a "precious asset to the university for many, many years, " Harvard has "also spent more on libraries than we've really needed to to accomplish our goal, " said Mr. Garber, the provost.

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The company is also retrieving books from libraries at several other leading universities, including Harvard and Oxford, as well as the New York Public Library.

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Ambryx has gained exclusive licenses to libraries of smell-and taste-related receptors from Johns Hopkins University, Rockefeller University, Harvard and the University of California at San Diego.

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