C.V. Starr East Asian Library is pleased to announce: LEGACIES: PEMA TSEDEN & NEW TIBETAN CINEMA A tribute to the late Pema Tseden, with screenings and discussions of his films, and those of young filmmakers he has inspired. Join us for the opening screening: The Silent Holy Stones ལྷིང་འཇགས་ཀྱི་མ་ཎི་རྡོ་འབུམ། Friday, December 1, 6-8 pm […]
East Asian Library Orientation Workshops coming up
East Asian Studies Library Resources Fall 2023 Orientation Area-specific Workshops (1.5-hour sessions): (sign-up required; all sessions take place in Room 306, Butler Library) Chinese Studies: Wednesday, 9/20, 1:00-2:30 PM Sign up: https://events.columbia.edu/go/Chinese1 Friday, 9/22, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM Sign up: https://events.columbia.edu/go/Chinese2 Japanese Studies: Friday, 9/29, 3:00-4:30 PM Sign up: https://events.columbia.edu/go/Japanese1 […]
THE CRITIAL RENOVATION, LIBRARY CLOSURE, AND LIMITED LIBRARY SERVICES OF C.V. STARR EAST ASIAN LIBRARY, MAY 2023-JAN. 2024, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
By Jim Cheng, 8/3/2023 Due to outdated library facilities, the C.V. Starr East Asian Library collection suffered several major disasters in the past. On the recommendation of the Provost’s Advisory Committee on the Libraries (PACL), and with budgetary support from the Provost’s office, a critical renovation plan, including installation of a fire sprinkler and […]
Starr Duplicate Book Sale/Giveaway, April 6–7
The C.V. Starr East Asian Library Duplicates Sale is returning April 6–7, 2023. Every year, the library accumulates duplicate books and journals which we make available to the public through an annual book sale, raising funds for the library in the process. This year, because of a large surplus due to a Covid-related hiatus of […]
The Event of “Affirming Queer Intimacies in Sinophone Cinema” Successfully Held
As part of Columbia University Libraries ADEI (Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) awarded programs, the event of “Affirming Queer Intimacies in Sinophone Cinema” was held successfully during February 15-17, 2023. It featured representative films of such critically acclaimed sinophone filmmakers of queer cinema as Zi’en Cui, Popo Fan (China), Zero Chou and Yunhou Liu (Taiwan). […]
Starr Library co-sponsors film series

As part of Columbia University Libraries ADEI (Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) awarded programs, “Affirming Queer Intimacies in Sinophone Cinema” features the screening of critically acclaimed films of such leading independent filmmakers as Zi’en Cui, Popo Fan and Zero Chou, panel discussions, and roundtable dialogues with the directors. Click here for more details and to […]
Visit our newly-expanded Reading Room

The Starr East Asian Library is delighted to announce the opening of the recently-renovated west wing of our Reading Room. In a special ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Columbia Vice Provost & University Librarian Ann Thornton, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Eugenia Lean, faculty from the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, and other CUL friends and colleagues, […]
Fall 2022 Orientation Workshops coming up
Chinese Studies: Wednesday, 10/5, 3-4:30 PM Sign up: https://events.columbia.edu/go/chinese2 Japanese Studies: Thursday, 9/29, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM Sign up: https://events.columbia.edu/go/japanese1 Friday, 9/30, 3:00 PM-4:30 PM Sign up: https://events.columbia.edu/go/japanese2 Friday, 10/7, 11:00 PM-12:30 PM Sign up: https://events.columbia.edu/go/japanese3 Korean Studies: Tuesday,9/27, 12:00-1:30 PM Sign up: https://events.columbia.edu/go/korean1 Thursday, 9/29, 4:00-5:30 PM Sign up: https://events.columbia.edu/go/korean2 Tibetan […]
Expanded access
We have some good news for our alumnae and retirees! Effective 9/12/22, Columbia University Alumni and Columbia University Retirees will be able to access all library locations with a valid existing CUID. A new CUID, if needed, can be requested from the Library Information Office during business hours for alumni and the campus ID center for retirees. All alumni and […]
Fall 2022 Orientation
Welcome to Academic Year 2022-23! We are delighted to be able to welcome you back to the library, and to our in-person orientation activities, even while movement around the library is still somewhat inhibited by construction activities, including window replacement in the 200 level stacks, and refurbishment of our “west wing.” We have a schedule […]