Request Items & Services
At this time, only the Rare Book & Manuscript Library is open to external visitors by appointment. All other special collections visits are limited to current Columbia students, faculty, and staff. Please contact the relevant repository for appoointments.
Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library: avery@library.columbia.edu
Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary: burke@library.columbia.edu
C.V. Starr East Asian Library: starr@library.columbia.edu
Rare Book & Manuscript Library: rbml@library.columbia.edu
- Borrow Direct
Quick delivery from Brown, Cornell, the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Penn, Princeton, Stanford, University of Chicago, and Yale - Inter-Campus Delivery Service
Request transfer of books from one campus to the other - Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
Place requests and check status of ILL requests - About our Off-site Shelving Facility (ReCAP)
Operated jointly with Princeton University and the New York Public Library, Columbia has accessioned more than 4.8 million items at ReCAP - Pick-Up Service
- Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
Place requests and check status of ILL requests - Scan & Deliver
Request scans of small portions of works in the general, print collections
- Citation Finder
Use Citation Finder to find a specific article
- Request an In Process or Ordered Item
To request an item that is listed in CLIO as being In process or Ordered
Connect to CLIO and access My Library Account to:
- manage personal information
- view or renew items you have checked out
- check status of requested items
- view patron blocks, fines, and fees
For additional information, consult the Borrowing and Loan Policies page.
- Ask a Librarian
- Ask a reference question via e-mail
- Schedule a research consultation
- Schedule a library instruction session
Library research consultations and instruction sessions can be conducted in-person or online. Please indicate your preference when scheduling a research consultation or instruction session.
Chat reference service is regularly available during these hours; in-person reference and other walk-in research help is available at some Columbia library locations.