News
The Great Columbia Book Slide of 1934
In honor of National Library Week, Columbia News looks back to when librarians needed to "move some 700,000 books from Low Library to the newly-constructed Butler Library. The solution: a giant slide from the steps of Low Plaza to South Lawn. A classic example of working smarter, not harder!"
Architectural League of New York Records Arrive at Avery
Avery Drawings & Archives has acquired the records of the Architectural League of New York from 1975 through 2005, which bear witness to incredible changes in the way architecture was practiced in New York City, including an increased interest in sustainability.
National Library Week 2026: “Find Your Joy”
The theme of the 2026 National Library Week (April 19-25) is “Find Your Joy,” an invitation for library users to explore and discover what sparks joy in them at the library. In celebration, the Columbia community shares ways in which they've found joy in our campus libraries.
Take Back the Internet: A Book Dsplay & Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon
Take back the internet: The Libraries highlights resources that explore the evolution of online, networked information and raise the alarm about the current landscape of enshittified websites, addictive social media feeds, and rampant disinformation.
SAA 250 for the 250th: 1776 Register of Admissions | University Archives
The Society of American Archivists (SAA) "presents 250 for the 250th, an online repository that tells the story of our country in documents," including a 1776 register of admissions from the University Archives that "explains why there were no admissions at King’s College for the year 1776."
'From the Archives': Health Sciences Library Series
Columbia Surgery highlights archival collections in the Health Sciences Library in a new series with Head of Archives and Special Collections Katherine Satriano, who explores a 1543 volume by Andreas Vesalius that changed understanding of the human body.
Publishers & Libraries: Hosting the Third Annual OA Switchboard NYC Summit
Columbia University Libraries hosted the annual OA Switchboard NYC Summit, which served as a reminder that, in scholarly publishing, libraries, publishers, and service providers must develop and sustain open channels of conversation for the benefit of core users.
For the Record: A History of the Law Library Through Artifacts and Treasures
A special exhibition in the Li Lu Law Library Milton Handler Rare Books and Manuscripts Room, "For the Record: A History of the Law Library Through Artifacts and Treasures," traces the path of Columbia Law School from its origins to the present day.
The New Red Scare
The new Red Scare: Columbia Magazine reports on a recent discussion with families affected by 1950s McCarthyism, including Molly Jong-Fast, MaryLouise Patterson, and Michael Meeropol, which addressed the parallels of the Red Scare to American politics and society today.
Drawings & Archives Acquires David Henken Papers
Avery Drawings & Archives acquires the papers of David Henken, an architect, engineer, and founder of Usonia, a cooperative community in New York that was established on the principles espoused by Frank Lloyd Wright in his designs for “Broadacre City.”
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals Now Available with Full Text
EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) and the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals release the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals with Full Text, a robust new resource for researchers and students in architecture and design.
The U.S. Semiquincentennial and Columbia University
To mark 250 years of American independence, Columbia News brings together the many ways in which the University engages with this national legacy, including archival treasures in the Libraries that explore the past through rare documents and collections.
Histories of Native American Treaties and Anti-Chinese Violence Win Bancroft Prize
The New York Times reports that "a study of the financial aspects of treaty relationships between Native nations and the United States and a sweeping history of legal discrimination against Chinese immigrants" are awarded the 2026 Bancroft Prizes.
GrantForward: Your New Funding Opportunity Tool
All Columbia University researchers, administrators, students, and staff have access to GrantForward, the University’s funding opportunity discovery platform designed to streamline the identification and tracking of external funding opportunities.
Lessons of Jewish History
Lessons of Jewish history: Columbia Magazine consults Librarian for Jewish Studies Michelle Margolis on the 75th anniversary of the Institute of Israel and Jewish Studies (IIJS) about its role in connecting the Columbia community to the currents of Jewish thought.
Working with the Theodore Richards Conant Collection: An Internship in the C. V. Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University
Kangmi Kwon, an intern with the Korean Foundation, reflects on their work with Theodore Richards Conant (TRC) collection, which captures Korean society, culture, and reconstruction efforts after the Korean War.
We spent an hour in five of Columbia’s favorite libraries. Here’s what we found.
Columbia Daily Spectator reporters spent an hour in five campus libraries - Milstein, Butler, the Science & Engineering Library, the Business & Economics Library in Uris, and Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library. Here's what they found.






