Using the Tibetan Collection

At present, our online catalog is not capable of displaying Tibetan script. Therefore, our records follow the Library of Congress Transliteration system for Tibetan titles, authors, and publishers.

Our catalog cards in the Lehman Tibetan Reading Room area are also based on this transliteration system and are alphabetized accordingly, divided up by country of origin.

The Library of Congress system of transliteration is very similar to the Wylie romanized system most often found in western scholarly works, with only a few minor differences.

This chart is also available on the reverse side of the flyer entitled "Using the Tibetan Collection" located with other handouts on the north wall of the main reading room in the Starr East Asian Library. Please take one for your convenience.

Note that many popular books and internet sites use non-standard forms of spelling which are based on how Tibetan words sound when pronounced, leaving out the many silent letters.

When searching the computer for Tibetan language authors, titles, or subjects, remember to include all silent letters or no result will be obtained. However, if you are searching a non-Tibetan book with Tibetan subject matter, a non-standard keyword search may yield results if the spellings match the popular ones employed in the particular book.

Note that the last keyword search yielded 5 titles, 3 in English with popular spellings and 2 from Sikkim which had non-standard spelling in the online records.

Although several punctuation marks are used by the Library of Congress system to differentiate sounds, when inputting a search in CLIO, do not use punctuation.

Until recently Tibetan Studies materials were not an integrated collection, so over the years they have been acquired by a number of different selectors and housed in various campus libraries according to subject (art, history, religion, etc.) unlike our Chinese, Japanese, and Korean collections which have been concentrated in one library.

This situation has changed, and responsibility for Tibetan works from all sources is now centered in the Starr East Asian Library. However, because of space and format considerations, not all materials can be consolidated in one location although active efforts are underway torationalize, centralize, and better coordinate all acquisitions and processing.

Another significant change is that the PL480 Program materials, which used to form the bulk of Tibetan acquisitions, are now less significant than purchases being made from Tibetan regions of China, and from commercial vendors covering India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and other areas.

Since a budget specifically for Tibetan non-PL480 acquisitions was approved in 1998, several thousand titles have been ordered, and many have already been received. However, our acquisitions ordering is not done online, so titles cannot be viewed in CLIO until they are cataloged. We hope to implement online ordering in the future so that researchers can immediately know when a title has been selected, and estimate when it might arrive.

Since we lack a professional Tibetan cataloger, and most books from non-PL480 sources do not come with ready bibliographic copy, a substantial backlog is accumulating. Cards for all these titles (ordered, received, and in process) are available for consultation -- Chopathar has access to these files. If you check these files (alphabetical by title only) and if you identify something you need quickly, you may request rush cataloging or on-site access.

Therefore, when searching for a Tibetan Studies title, the probable location will depend as much on when and from where the book was acquired as on subject or format factors. Please check CLIO, the Lehman Tibetan card catalogs, and ask to see the order/in-process files.

Tibetan Language 

Loose-leaf format traditional texts -- housed in Lehman Library's Tibetan Reading Room.

Western-style books, both monographs and facsimile reproductions of traditional texts -- housed in Starr East Asian Library's regular stacks (includes books from the PL480 program).

Rare and Special items in loose-leaf format -- a few with online records are temporarily being housed in Starr Library's Special Collections area; these will move to Lehman's Tibetan Reading Room when area is cleared.

Serials -- unbound recent issues displayed in Starr East Asian's main reading room; older bound issues in Starr's regular stacks; some unbound duplicates in Lehman Library's Tibetan Reading Room.

Newspapers -- available in Starr East Asian's main reading room serials alcove.

Reference works -- housed in Starr East Asian's main reading room; some duplicate copies in Lehman's Tibetan Reading Room. Tripitaka is housed with other language editions on the 250 stack level of Starr.

Chinese and Japanese Works 

All secondary scholarship on Tibetan subjects in these languages is located in the Starr East Asian Library.

Western Language Works 

Most English, French, and German scholarship on Tibetan subjects is now housed in Starr, except for items purchased specially by Barnard College or by the Avery Art & Architecture Library, or College Reserves.

Tibetan Language 

Loose-leaf traditional texts, even if bound, may still be housed in the Lehman Library Tibetan Reading Room, though bound volumes are gradually being moved from this finite space as online records are created.

Rare and Special Materials -- in the process of being transferred to the Rare Book and Manuscript Library on the sixth floor of Butler Library.

Western-style books -- some from Indian sources still remain in the Lehman Tibetan Reading Room, but are gradually being put online and moved to Starr stacks; older books from Chinese sources are in the Starr stacks and most have online records.

Chinese and Japanese Language 

Books and serials in all formats -- housed in Starr East Asian or its off-site storage; online records available for all off-site materials and 95% of Starr stack materials.

Western Language 

Books and serials -- housed in many Columbia Library locations, including Butler stacks, College Library, Reserves, Lehman stacks, Starr regular stacks, Barnard College, Avery Art & Architecture Library, off-site storage, etc. Some titles can be found in Several locations. Most have online records, but some from PL480 sources and some old editions may have cards only. Check card catalogs in Lehman Tibetan area and Butler Library Reference.