Tibetan Studies
The Tibetan Studies Collection at Columbia University is one of the most comprehensive in North America for the study of Tibet and the Himalayas, with holdings of Tibetan-language texts and peridocials, archives, audio-visual resources, maps, material objects, and more. Starr Library also actively collects resources in Chinese and other languages on Tibet-related subjects.
The origins of the Tibetan Studies Collection can be traced to the early 1970s when the university first began receiving Tibetan books and serials through the Public Law 480 Program administered by the Library of Congress. Learn more.
Go to Tibetan Rare Books & Special Collections
Tibetan Rare Books and Special Collections includes archival collections, manuscripts, rare and fragile books, Tibetan Buddhist canons, maps, posters, objects of material culture, and more.
Browse this list of collections in more detail, or search for our collections in Columbia University's library catalog, CLIO, to access detailed collection catalog records.
The New York City area offers a range of educational and cultural resources relating to the academic, artistic, religious, and popular aspects of Tibetan life and culture. Of particular note are the following institutions:
- Rubin Museum of Art
Exhibitions, programs, and resources on art, culture, and religions of the Himalayas.
- Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
This museum, located on Staten Island, has Himalayan art and related programs. The museum, established in 1945, represents the first Himalayan-style architecture to be built in the US. - High Asia Research Center
Library and research center established by Jamyang Norbu in Jackson Heights, Queens, in 2022. - Himalayan Library
This library in Jackson Heights also hosts public progams and classes. Established by Danang Foundation. - Newark Museum – Asian Art Collection
Significant holdings of Tibetan art, photographs, and material culture. - Tibet House
Center for many Tibetan cultural activities in downtown Manhattan. - New York Public Library – General Research Division
The midtown Manhattan research branch (Stephen A Schwarzman Building) has an excellent collection of works on Tibet in English, Chinese, Tibetan, and European languages. See also their Digital Collections. - American Museum of Natural History
Exhibits and holdings of Himalayan art and material culture. See also their Digital Collections. - Asia Society
Features a wide variety of exhibits and programs on Asia, including Tibet. - For broader listings, including restaurants, stores, religious centers, see the Tibet House Directory.
Kristina Dy-Liacco
Tibetan Studies Librarian
- Starr East Asian Library