CUL - Main Content

The reading room is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm by advance appointment only to external visitors and current Columbia students, faculty and staff whose individual research requires consulting RBML materials.

REQUIREMENTS FOR EXTERNAL VISITORS

• Visitors must check in for each appointment at the Library Information Office in Butler Library during business hours with ID.

GUIDELINES FOR ALL READING ROOM USERS

• Appointments are required and must be booked at least 7 days in advance and up to 90 days in advance.
• Seats are limited and appointment bookings are first-come, first served. We cannot guarantee the availability of your preferred appointment dates/times. Please note there are two reading rooms available for booking (UA and Woods). Please check both for availability, but only schedule an appointment for one space.
  
• Up to five requests may be submitted for an appointment and will be prepared in advance by library staff.
• Appointments are for one individual. Pairs or groups cannot be accommodated.
• Individuals may decide to mask based on their own circumstances and preferences. Masks will be available if you wish to wear one..

The University Archives collections can be found by searching the libraries' catalogue CLIO or the Archival Collections Portal. Both tools provide access to records of archival collections at Columbia University Libraries, including finding aids, collection descriptions and available digital content, such as online exhibits and images.

The Empire Archival Discovery Cooperative pulls on archival records from repositories across New York State. Here you can search the collections available at the Rare Book and Manuscript Library, including the Columbia University Archives holdings. This tool is particularly helpful since it searches not just the front matter of our finding aids but also the collection inventories or folder lists.

The Collection Overview section of this site also provides description of the most highly accessed University Archives manuscript collections, how they are organized and for what topics you may find them useful. However, this is not a comprehensive listing of all of our collections. 

The Columbia History Resources section of this site includes selected University-related digitized materials. These pages offer links to digitized publications, online exhibitions, web archives, and other relevant resources.

The Columbiana Library is a large book collection consisting of university-related publications. Many of these titles can be found in CLIO, the Columbia Libraries online catalog. In addition to CLIO, there is a paper card catalog in the University Archives reading room that can be used to find these publications. The card catalog is also useful for finding specific articles from two major university publications: Columbia Alumni News and Columbia University Quarterly.

The Columbia University Archives staff has put together some Research Guides to help you take advantage of our holdings. For each type of search, you will find the most popular resources available and how to access them: some online and some in person. The lists are not exhaustive; these are only the "top" or "most frequently consulted" resources. The guides focus on alumni, faculty, course descriptions, Master's essays and dissertations, and buildings and grounds information.

If you need help in identifying what materials you need to learn more about the history of Columbia or to find information on a former Columbia student, faculty or staff member, please contact uarchives@columbia.edu.

Because the University Archives materials are rare, unique, and usually irreplaceable, they are subject to a higher level of security than other library materials. University Archives collections do not circulate and can only be accessed in the RBML Reading Room.

• Researchers are required to register their own Special Collections Research Account to request to see any materials in the RBML Reading Rooms.
• You will need to provide a current address, email, telephone number, and other contact information. 
• Upon your first visit, you will need validate your account in-person with government issued photo identification or Columbia ID.
• We will take your photo for security purposes.

Once you have created your Special Collections Research Account, you will be able to request materials and book appointments.

• PLAN AHEAD: Appointments are required and must be made well in advance
  • Minimum lead time is 7 days in advance. 
  • Maximum lead time is 90 days in advance.
• Up to 5 collection items may be requested per appointment
  • These must be requested at least 7 days in advance before you can book an appointment.

• When selecting an appointment, please note that there are two reading room calendars to choose from: RBML UArchives Reading Room and RBML Woods Reading Room. Be sure to check both calendars to find all available slots.

• For instructions on how to navigate the  system, please see our Appointment FAQ page 

Please be respectful of staff and other users and only make appointments you intend to keep. Seats are limited and we staff our reading room by appointment only. We reserve the right to cancel the remainder of your appointment if you are over 30 minutes late.

• For collection items with individual CLIO catalog records, select Request: Special Collections on the right side of the catalog record. You will be prompted to log in to your Special Collections Research Account, associate your request with an Appointment, and Submit your request. Library staff will contact you to confirm your appointment and request(s).

• For archival collections, search CLIO or the Archival Collections Portal to locate a link to the collection’s online finding aid. View the Container List for the collection and select specific boxes using the toggle boxes on the right. Press the Submit Request button highlighted in red at the top of the page. Follow the prompts to log in to your Special Collections Research Account. Your requests will appear in your Outstanding Requests list with the status Request Needs Appointment. Use the Edit button to associate the request with an Appointment and Submit your request. Library staff will contact you to confirm your appointment and request(s).

• For archival collections with legacy PDF finding aids, search CLIO or the Archival Collections Portal to locate a link to the collection’s PDF finding aid. Review the finding aid and note the specific boxes you wish to consult. Select Request: Special Collections on the right side of the catalog record. You will be prompted to log in to your Special Collections Research Account. Add the Box Number to the request form (only one box number per form), associate your request with an Appointment, and Submit your request. If you wish to request additional boxes from the same collection, locate your first request in your Outstanding Requests list, choose Clone Request from the Actions menu and edit the Box Number in the form. Associate the request with an Appointment and Submit your request. Library staff will contact you to confirm your appointment and request(s).

Unprocessed Collections

As part of our commitment to intellectual accessibility, the Rare Book & Manuscript Library (RBML) informs the public of the collections in our custody, even if they are not fully accessible to researchers, and make basic collection-level records available immediately upon accession. We make every effort to give our researchers access to the collections, whenever possible, by doing a quick assessment of what can be seen without processing. An unprocessed collection might be partially or fully closed for research if the materials in question are excessively fragile, impossible to locate due to lack of arrangement within the collection, or contain sensitive information.

Collections that are unprocessed have a restriction note in the library's catalogue CLIO that states,"Material is unprocessed. Please contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information." If the collection has been previously requested and evaluated for access by an archivist, the outcome of that review will be reflected there as well.

How do I request access to an unprocessed collection?
Please contact rbml@columbia.edu describing the unprocessed collection you wish to access. An archivist will review the request and will determine whether the material can be made available in the reading room. You should hear from us within two weeks.

After my request has been reviewed, do I need to make an appointment?
If the collection can be made available, we will ask you to confirm the date and time of your prospective visit before arriving. The materials will be ready for your viewing at that time.  

What should I expect when visiting RBML to use unprocessed archival materials?
If the collection can be made available, please confirm the date and time of your prospective visit with RBML staff before arriving; the materials will be ready for your viewing at that time. You may also want to keep in mind that the box numbers and other citation information for the documents in the collection are subject to change during processing.

Handling unprocessed archival materials in the reading room:

• Because such collections are unprocessed and somewhat fragile, you will be seated at one of the five reading room tables closest to the manager's desk. This will allow the reading room manager to more easily assist you with any handling issues that may arise, and help to prevent damage to the materials.
  
• Please be especially careful when handling materials from unprocessed collections. If you see something that you feel unsure about handling, either because of its condition or its format, do not hesitate to ask for assistance.
  
• We require all researchers to use gloves when handling photographs that are not encased in polyester sleeves. Gloves are available in the reading room for researchers to use.
  
• We cannot provide access to original time-based media material which has not first been reformatted for preservation. Researchers are welcome to examine archival time-based media items and decide whether they wish to place an order for audio/video reformatting. If copyright and/or condition restrictions apply, it may not be possible to digitize a requested item. Please note that A/V reformatting is handled by an outside vendor and typically takes 6 to 8 weeks.
  
• As when handling any other archival collection, please remove only one folder from a box at a time, and keep all materials in the same order that you found them. An unprocessed collection may not be arranged in any way that makes particular sense, but maintaining it in its current order allows us to more easily ensure that all items are accounted for when the collection is processed.

If the item you wish to see does not have an online finding aid or catalog record, please contact rbml@columbia.edu for assistance.

Materials are accessed by appointment in a supervised reading room, an enclosed space where users work in close proximity with one another.

Appointments are for one individual. The reading room cannot accommodate pairs or groups.  

For the comfort of all and to ensure the security of our collections, users are required to follow these policies and procedures:

• Wash your hands before entering the reading room. Restrooms are located in the East hallway, near the elevators.

• Registration with valid photo identification is required. Every user's photograph is also taken for security purposes.

• Pencils, laptops, tablets and digital cameras are permitted. Note paper will be provided.

• Personal belongings including outerwear, backpacks, purses, briefcases, computer cases/sleeves, camera bags, parcels, envelopes, and portfolio folders are not permitted at reading room tables. 

  • A locker and key will be provided for you to securely store your personal belongings.

• Reading room temperatures are low to protect collection materials. Outerwear may not be worn but you may consider dressing in layers for comfort.

• Food and beverages are not permitted.
  
• Please mute electronic devices and keep conversations to a minimum.

• Access may be limited under the following conditions: when papers are being processed; a result of donor-imposed restrictions; or when their physical condition warrants restricted use. In cases of collections in process, staff will work with you to facilitate access wherever possible.

• The RBML cannot provide access to original time-based media material which has not been first been reformatted for preservation. Researchers are welcome to examine archival time-based media items and decide whether they wish to place an order for Audio/Video reformatting.

• All materials must be returned to the reading room manager before leaving the reading room. Arrangements for future use may be made at this time.

• Any personal materials, including laptops, which were brought into the reading room will be inspected by a staff member before you leave.

• We reserve the right to search any notes or personal belongings at any time.

Photography in the Reading Room:

Please plan to utilize your appointment time efficiently. We highly recommend using a camera, phone or tablet to capture reference images that can be studied more closely outside the library. Non-flash photography is allowed for personal research purposes, within the limits of U.S. copyright law and provided it will not damage collection materials.

• Tripods, flash, and additional lighting is not permitted.

• Silence your camera, phone, and all other electronic devices

• Personal copiers and scanners are not permitted.

For more information on handling materials in the reading room, please consult the RBML's brief instructional videos.

• Care and Handling: Bound Volumes
• Care and Handling: Manuscripts
• Care and Handling: Medieval Manuscripts