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The Avery Classics Collection is the rare book collection of Avery Library and one of the largest architectural rare book collections in the world.
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It contains approximately 35,000 printed volumes published over seven centuries, from Leon Battista Alberti’s De re aedificatoria (1485) to the recent limited edition Glenn Murcutt: Architect (2006). The Classics collection also has important holdings of graphic suites, periodicals, manuscripts, broadsides, photographs, and printed ephemera. Its strengths reflect the Library’s original subject scope, established by Avery’s founders in 1890, that is, architecture, archaeology, and the decorative arts.
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All Avery books that were produced before 1801 are in Classics. The collection also includes significant editions of major works created after 1800, as well as works that possess distinctive physical characteristics, such as special bindings, exceptional printing, innovative design, autograph inscriptions, or other signs of former ownership.
Notable special collections within Classics are the Trade Catalog Collection, which is one of the largest collections of catalogs of the American building trades anywhere, and the American View Book Collection, which includes books, pamphlets, and brochures that document cities, towns, and buildings throughout the United States.
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Avery Classics maintains an active acquisitions program through gift and purchase. To view lists of recent acquisition highlights, select the following links:
2005-2006; 2006-2007; 2007-2008; 2008-2009.
Many Avery Classics are included in CLIO, Columbia's online catalog. However, some items acquired before 1982 have catalog records only in the Avery Card Catalog and the Butler Library Union Card Catalog.
The Avery Card Catalog up to 1982 is available in printed book form as "Catalog of the Avery Memorial Architectural Library of Columbia University," 2d ed., enl. (Boston: G. K. Hall, 1968) (19 volumes), and its five supplements (Boston: G. K. Hall, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982) (18 volumes).
Questions regarding the holdings of the Classics Collection that cannot be resolved by recourse to the online or card catalogs should be addressed to avery-classics@libraries.cul.columbia.edu.
Avery Classics are available for use in the Avery Rare Book Reading Room (Room 234).
Fine Arts and Avery Ph.D dissertations, and masters theses in Fine Arts, Urban Planning, Historic Preservation, and Real Estate Development are also serviced there.
The room is open for consultation of materials according to the schedule given below. See the Avery Classics Hours Calendar for holidays and special closings. Requests for morning appointments will be accommodated if necessary and if possible.
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Tues. |
Wed. |
Thurs. |
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| 1:00-4:30 |
1:00-4:30 |
1:00-4:30 |
1:00-4:30
5:30-7:00 |
1:00-4:30 |
closed |
closed |
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- Avery Classics are paged from closed stacks once daily for delivery at 1:00pm.
- There is a limit of five (5) volumes that may be requested per paging time.
- Requests for Offsite theses and dissertations must be received by 1:00 pm Mon.-Thurs. for next day consultations. Offsite theses and dissertations are not delivered on Mondays so requests must be received by 1:00 pm Thursday for consultation on a Monday.
- Readers who need to consult large numbers of items should email directly avery-classics@libraries.cul.columbia.edu
- Only in-person or web requests are accepted. Phone requests are *not* accepted.
- A small number of items are designated Avery Classics (Cage). These require an appointment with the Avery Director, made at least five business days in advance (Monday-Friday). Email the Avery Director at avery-classics@libraries.cul.columbia.edu.
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| Request received by: 5:00pm of the preceding business day |
| Delivered at: 1:00pm on the following business day |
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Columbia affiliates may request material online by using the web request form.
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Non-affiliates may request materials by emailing avery-classics@libraries.cul.columbia.edu
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Web and email requests must be received by 5:00pm on the business day (Monday-Friday) preceding the desired consultation date.
All Avery Classics readers, including Columbia affiliates, are required to complete reader registration forms when they arrive at the Avery Rare Book Reading Room. The form, valid for the Columbia academic calendar year, requires the reader to present a traceable photo identification card, such as a valid passport, driver’s license, or Columbia card.
Photo identification cards are held while material is in use.
Briefcases, large purses, bags, coats, and umbrellas must be checked with the Reading Room attendant.
Books and other materials from the Classics Collection must be handled with great care.
Readers must not write upon, lean upon, mark, or otherwise alter or mishandle materials from the collection. No books, papers, or other objects may be laid on the materials or intermingled with them.
Only pencils or laptops are permitted for note taking.
Materials from the collection may not be photocopied or scanned.
At the discretion of the attendant in the Classics collections, readers may photograph items for personal reference. The use of tripods and flash is prohibited.
For the terms and conditions regarding photographs intended for publication, readers should consult the Avery Photographic Services and Fees page. In certain cases, photography may not be possible due to copyright restrictions or the physical condition of items.
