History and Development of the Library of Congress Tibetan Collection

Speaker: Susan Meinheit, Tibetan and Mongolian Specialist, Asian Division, Library of Congress

Moderator: Kristina Dy-Liacco, Tibetan Studies Librarian, Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University

With a career spanning 47 years at the Library of Congress, Susan Meinheit has had a pioneering role in the development, management, and conservation of the Library of Congress’ vast Tibetan collection, one of the largest in the world. From her first LC position as a library clerk, it was through her area and language expertise — combined with sheer determination — that she essentially carved out her role as steward and champion of LC’s long-neglected early TIbetan holdings which were based on the collections of three major scholars of Tibet and southwest China and acquired by LC in the early 1900s. Meinheit will talk about the early history of the collection; the growth of the collection through the PL-480 Books program with India, and achievements in bringing wider visibility of the Tibetan holdings through major cataloging and digitization initiatives.

This event is part of the 2022-2023 lecture series on “Women in Tibetan Studies: A Lecture Series” and is sponsored by the Weatherhead East Asian Institute and C.V. Starr East Asian Library and co-sponsored by the Modern Tibetan Studies Program.

Registration:

• To attend this event in-person, please register HERE. Please note that non-CUID holders need to show proof of their primary series and one booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines.
• To attend this event online, please register HERE.