Library Tours

Welcome to Columbia University Libraries!  We are happy to offer several tours of our various library spaces during the first few weeks of classes.  (For information about ALL library locations, please visit our locations page).

Butler Library:
Tuesday, 9/2 – 4pm
Wednesday, 9/3 – 4pm
Thursday, 9/4 – 4pm
Friday, 9/5 – 4pm

**All tours meet in Butler Library lobby near the security desk at 4pm.  Sign up here, or show up in person.

Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library:
Thursday, 9/4 – 12pm
Friday, 9/5 – 12pm
Monday, 9/8 – 12pm
Tuesday, 9/9 – 12pm
Thursday,  9/11 – 12pm
Friday, 9/12 – 12pm
Monday, 9/15 – 12pm
Tuesday, 9/16 – 12pm
Thursday, 9/18 – 12pm
Friday, 9/19 – 12pm

**Tours open to all students.   Tours last 45 minutes; limited to 15 people/tour; sign-up sheets at the Avery Library Service Desk.  Tours meet at the Service Desk.

Global Studies
Monday, September 8th – 4pm
South Asia (Southeast Asia also, per interest) library resources tour at 308-309 Lehman Library.

**The tour will start with a sit down talk/discussion and continue with a tour of various libraries with specific emphasis on South Asia/Southeast Asia library content.

Starr East Asian Library
Thursday, September 4th – 3pm-5pm
300 Kent Hall

**Tours open to all students.  Tours meet at the Service Desk.

Graduate Student – “Getting Your Bearings” Orientations
If you’re a graduate student, you may wish to attend one of our “Getting Your Bearings” orientations, designed to help you begin using the powerful information tools at your disposal and to point you to some of the most important library services and personnel at Butler Library and elsewhere on campus.

Wednesday August 27  at 4:00 pm
Thursday  August 28 at 2:00 pm
Tuesday September 2 at 3:30 pm
Wednesday September 3 at 2:00 pm
Thursday September 4 at 12:00 pm
Thursday September 4 at 3:30 pm

**The sessions begin with a 40 to 45 minute tour of key points and  services in Butler Library, including an intro to our Rare Book and Manuscript library.  This is likely to be of most interest and  relevance to people working in the humanities, history, and social sciences. The tours will begin at the Reference Desk in  Butler 301.  The second half of the session,  which will take place in Butler  203, will be devoted to an overview of the Libraries’ online information  system and ways to get the most out of it, and would be of value to all graduate students.  Participants who want to attend only the second half should feel free  come directly to Butler 203 (on 8/27, 9/2, 9/3 and 9/4) or Butler 306 (on Thursday 8/28) about 40 to 45 minutes after the beginning  of the tour.