Publications
Historical issues of Columbia University publications, many available online.
Columbia Spectator Digital Archive, 1877-2015
Issues from 1877 to 2015 are searchable. Whenever possible, original paper copies were scanned and digitized using state-of-the-art technology that provides full-page, searchable reproductions of articles, photographs, and advertisements.
For articles published more recently, please search the main Spectator website.
This digital archive is the result of a partnership between the Spectator and Columbia University Libraries, and funded jointly by the Libraries and through generous gifts from Spectator alumni and friends, especially members of the class of 1958.
Issues listed here are missing from the Spectator Digital Archive. If you have any of these past issues, please contact us at uarchives@columbia.edu.
The Blue and White, 1998.
Blue and White, 1890-1893 and 1998-2013
The Blue and White was originally published from 1890-1893. The University Archives has a mostly complete collection of the original run in fragile condition, which has been digitized for preservation.
Publication resumed in 1998. The university Archives has paper issues (with some gaps) in addition to the digitized copies here.
1890-1893
1998-2013: Blue and White Archive
2021-present: Available on Blue and White Magazine's website
Jester, 1950.
Columbia Jester, 1901-2019
The Columbia Jester was the student humor magazine established in 1901. The publication was printed mostly continuously through 1997 and was revived in 2001 and again in 2005.
Finding Aid - View digital issues and request access to paper copies in the University Archives
Columbia Political Review
Columbia Political Review is an undergraduate-run, political magazine at Columbia University. The magazine’s mission is to provide an open forum for long-form political thought on issues across the ideological spectrum, both domestic and international. CPR publishes online content on a near-daily basis and produces a bi-semesterly print magazine featuring select articles. CPR is committed to representing a diversity of viewpoints, backgrounds, and ideologies in order to offer fresh takes on contemporary policy debates.
2012-present online: Available through the CPR website
2001-present print: Request access to paper copies in the University Archives
The Federalist Paper aka The Fed
Started in 1986 by Neil M. Gorsuch, Andrew Levy and P.T. Waters, this student newspaper was originally intended to address political issues. Since then the Fed has evolved and it is now better known for its humor and satirical take on the news of the day.
The Fed keeps an archive of past issues on ISSUU, primarily from 2016-present, but this site also includes selected issues from 1988 and 1989.
Paper copies of this publication are available by request in the University Archives.
Yearbooks, 1869-present
Yearbooks are a good source of information about former students, student activities, and the composition of the student body over the years. The University Archives collections include an extensive run of yearbooks from Columbia College (The Columbiad and later The Columbian) dating from 1869 to the present, as well as a representation of yearbooks from other schools of the University and a complete run of those for the Midshipmen's School (Side Boy), which was on campus during World War II. Incomplete runs of yearbooks for the School of Engineering and Applied Science (The Miner and later The Engineer), the Graduate School of Journalism, and the Graduate School of Business are also available.
You can use the Yearbook, Facebooks and Class Books finding aid to see the University Archives holdings and to request volumes for use in the reading room.
Columbia University Record Archive, 1973-2016
Beginning as the University Record (September 1973-May 1975) and continuing to this day as the Columbia University Record (July 1975-present), this important university-wide publication is an incredibly rich resource of past Columbia activities, events, scientific research, trustee and faculty appointments, awards and honors, libraries news, departmental achievements, budget and financial reporting, faculty and staff updates, as well as containing informative profiles of campus personalities from 1973 to June 2016.
CCT, Spring 1984
Columbia College Today (CCT), 1954-2016
Thanks to a gift from the board of the Columbia University Club Foundation, CCT and the Columbia University Libraries have digitized back issues of this Columbia College alumni magazine fom its inception in 1954 through and including Summer 2016. The issues have been indexed so you can easily search for articles, features and alumni news or just browse through the individual issues.
Columbia Magazine
Columbia Magazine was founded in 1975 and is published quarterly by the University’s Office of Alumni and Development. The magazine's website has available past issues starting from Summer 2000. Paper copies are available at the University Archives. The issues have been indexed so you can easily search for specific content.
Columbia Engineering
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences' alumni magazine, formerly Columbia Engineering News and now Columbia Engineering, is published twice a year. Issues since 1979 are available as paper copies at the University Archives.
Please contact uarchives@columbia.edu for more information.
Columbia Alumni News
Published by the Alumni Federation of Columbia University, this alumni magazine was published from 1909 to 1957. CAN started as a weekly publication, and included class notes, obituaries, information about class reunions and the latest news about campus, from sports to academics. Issues up to 1948 are available online. Paper copies for the whole run are available at the University Archives.
Columbia University Quarterly
The Columbia University Quarterly was published by the Alumni Federation of Columbia University from 1898 to 1941. Publication was suspended from 1920 to 1929 and resumed from 1930 to 1941. The Quarterly’s predecessor, the Columbia University Bulletin (1890-1898) is also available online. Paper copies are available at the University Archives.
Columbia University Forum
The Columbia University Forum was a quarterly journal for alumni started in 1957. In fall 1968 it was renamed Columbia Forum. The original series of volumes ended in 1970. A "new series" of volumes was started in winter 1971 and ended in spring 1975. As a replacement for the Columbia Alumni News, it was originally created to provide a forum for the thoughts and opinions of people who were in some way connected to Columbia, covering the entire range of the arts and sciences. The publication was sent free-of-charge to alumni; non-alumni could subscribe or buy single copies with the proceeds going to the Columbia General Scholarship Fund. Most issues are available online at the links noted above. Paper copies are available at the University Archives. The RBML also holds a collection of Columbia Forum records.
Columbia Library Columns
Columbia Library Columns was published from 1951 to 1997. Over the years contributors included faculty, University administrators, writers, historians and collectors, as well as Columbia librarians. Articles focused on individual collections, special acquisitions, literary topics and issues relating to the growth of Columbia's libraries and special collections generally. You can access digitized table of contents and 10 year and 20 year indices from an archived website and view them by clicking on the "View PDF" button on the page. Paper copies of this publication are available at the University Archives.