The Tibet Mirror, published from 1925 to 1963 in Kalimpong, India, chronicles the dramatic social and political transformation occurring in Tibet during a time when vernacular writing was relatively scarce and a Tibetan media practically non-existent. Yale, Collège de France, and the Musée Guimet, participated in the project by lending Columbia University rare issues of the newspaper, as well as collaborating with the Preservation and Digital Conversion Division to scan 100 additional issues. Their contributions increased the online availability of the newspaper from 30 percent to more than 70 percent of the paper’s full run, resulting in a total of 224 issues.
The original set of newspapers and the digital library form the cornerstone of the Tharchin Collection which also contains documents, correspondence, photos and publications from the editorial offices of the Tibet Mirror Press. Columbia University Libraries are grateful to the Tharchin Family for their contribution to this important archival collection, and for granting permission to make the digital library available online for free and open access.
“Columbia University Libraries wish to extend its sincere gratitude and appreciation to Yale University, Collège de France, and the Musée Guimet for their support in expanding this digital collection,” Jim Cheng, Director of the C.V. Starr East Asian Library said. “This online resource is an important contribution to the field of Tibetan Studies and illustrates the potential fruits of such collaborative projects."
For more information about the Tibet Mirror project, please contact Dr. Lauran Hartley, Tibetan Studies Librarian at the C.V. Starr East Asian Library.