Rare Books and Special Collections

Rare Books and Special Collections Reading Room

The C. V. Starr East Asian Library owns many rare and unique materials in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tibetan, and Western languages. These non-circulating materials, which include valuable art folios and special collections, are available for use by readers in the Rare Books and Special Collections Reading Room.  The entrance is at the East End of the 200 level of the stacks.

Hours

Note: Readers are urged to use materials during these hours. While no appointments are necessary to use materials in the Rare Books Room during regularly scheduled hours, we strongly recommend that before your visit you contact the relevant subject specialist whose materials you may wish to see.  A few of our collections are stored off-site and others may have access restrictions.

Subject Specialists

Rare Book Reading Room Phone # 212-854-1989

Guidelines for Use

• The Rare Books and Special Collections Reading Room is for special collections and rare book readers only. The materials are for use only under the supervision of library staff and in the Rare Books and Special Collections Reading Room.
  
• To use the collections, visitors must have a valid Columbia identification card (CUID).  Non-affiliates need to consult the Library Information Office (LIO), 201 Butler Library, (212) 854-7309, located immediately to the left of the security desk inside the front door of Butler Library before visiting Starr Library.  You will need to present a government issued photo ID, tell LIO staff you are planning to use Starr Library collections and estimate the number of days you plan to use the library. LIO may then issue a temporary reader's card providing access to Starr Library.
  
• The Rare Books and Special Collections stacks cannot be browsed. Library staff will retrieve requested item(s) for you. You need to present a valid CUID and a completed Rare Books/Special Collections Registration and Request Form for each title (print forms available in the Rare Books Reading Room or online here, Registration and Request Form).  The number of books or manuscript boxes that may be used at any one time is limited. 
  
• Please make sure to check CLIO (Columbia University Libraries online catalog) for call numbers before coming to the Rare Books Reading Room since public terminals are NOT available in the reading room.
  
• Handle the materials with extreme care; many are fragile. Laptop computers and pencils only may be used for taking notes.  Pens and indelible markers are NOT permitted.  Electrical outlets and wireless access are available in the reading room.
  
• Books and manuscripts must be returned to the librarian on duty when you leave the room.
  
• Food and liquids are NOT permitted in the reading room.  Cell phones are NOT permitted in the reading room.
  
• Reproduction services are available, at a charge.  Reproductions may be made only by library staff. Please consult the librarian on duty should you wish to have rare or special collections materials photocopied.  The fee for photocopies is $.25 per page, and should be paid by personal check in U.S. dollars at the time of service.  All fees are subject to change without notice. 
  
  To request photocopying, fill out and sign a Rare Books/Special Collections Photocopy Request Form (print forms available in the Rare Books Reading Room or online here, Photocopy Request Form).  Many items in the collection, and most bound materials, are too fragile for photocopying.  The library reserves the right to limit the number of photocopies made, or to decline to make the requested photocopies.  Reproduction requests are subject to approval by the appropriate subject specialist, and are filled as staff is available.  We cannot commit to specific dates for completion.  If approved, you will be notified when the materials are ready for pickup.  Keep in mind that you may not request entire volumes to be copied.  To determine if copying materials in our collection violates copyright law, see The Copyright Advisory Office webpage. 
  
  To request microfilm or photography & digital reproductions, fill out and sign a Reprography Order Form.  Scroll down to the section, Starr East Asian Library Forms.  Prices are as listed on the form.  These requests are subject to the approval of the library director and we cannot commit to specific dates for completion. 
  

Rare Books and Special Collections at Starr

The Rare Books and Special Collections Reading Room provides access to the rare book collections, especially strong in Chinese local histories and genealogies, Japanese Edo-period woodblock-printed books, and the Korean Yi Song-yi Collection of rare books, as well as collections of ancient Chinese oracle bones, Chinese paper gods from the early twentieth century, signed first editions of modern Japanese authors, and Edo-period ukiyo-e.

Chinese Rare Books and Special Collections

Korean Rare Books and Special Collections

Tibetan Special Collections

Japanese Rare Books and Special Collections
Approximately 600 volumes of woodblock printed books were donated by the Imperial Household during Dr. Ryusaku Tsunoda's tenure at the library.  Some 300 scrolls, both original and in reproduction, have been among the Library's treasures since then.  Another group of unique materials are a collection of letters and manuscripts by twentieth-century authors, and first editions of Japanese literary publications, inscribed by the authors to Professor Donald Keene.

See Archival Collections below for information on the Japanese archival collections

Jewels in Her Crown, Treasures of Columbia University Libraries Special Collections
An exhibition in honor of Columbia's 250th anniversary celebration (on display October 8, 2004 - January 28, 2005)
Digital Collection

Archival Collections and their Finding Aids

• Abe Kōbō Collection, 1933-2002
  
• The Barbara Curtis Adachi Bunraku Collection, 1964-2003
  
• Letters to Donald Keene from Japanese Literary Figures, 1952-2004
  
• Makino Mamoru Collection on the History of East Asian Film (In Process)