Planning to read for Lit Hum? Everything you need to know to find your own study santuary

As one of the world’s premier research institutions, Columbia is equipped with a legion of libraries that contain all the print and digital resources that students could possibly need. And Columbia’s libraries are not only places to borrow books, but also spots to nestle up with coursework and a laptop. Take the time to familiarize yourself with them now because by exam season, at least one will have become your second home.

Butler Library

It’s big. It’s overcrowded. It’s inevitable. Named after one of the University’s former presidents, and lovingly christened “The Butt” by devotees, Butler is Columbia’s main undergraduate and research library. Its imposing façade is inscribed with names of famous writers and philosophers, most of whom are authors of Core texts. Because of its central location, vast resources (2 million volumes are housed in the 12 floors of stacks), and 24/7 reading rooms, undergraduate and graduate students alike congregate here. But be forewarned that staking territory in Butler is as brutal as purchasing Upper East Side real estate, especially in the third floor reference room: Habitués snatch a spot early and plant themselves there for the entire semester. There’s also a convenient (albeit pricey) Blue Java cafe on the ground floor that provides much-needed study fuel.

Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library

Housed in the Renaissance-style Avery Hall and renowned for having the most extensive architecture collection in the world, Avery Library is as beautiful as its name might suggest. On the top floor, rich wooden tables are spread out amid ceiling-high stacks of books, and the warm glow provided by chandeliers and triplets of brass lamps create a soothing ambiance—it’s quiet, but not stifling. The bottom floor is less elegant, but there is almost always more space to be found at its large tables. And although food and drink are strictly prohibited in the library, Brownie’s Café in the building’s basement is easily accessible by a flight of stairs near the entrance. It has much better fare that Butler’s Blue Java, but only accepts cash.

C.V. Starr East Asian Library

Approximately 844,000 Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Manchu, Tibetan, and Mongol volumes comprise the collections of the East Asian Library, situated across the ground floor entrance of Kent Hall. Its hushed interior evokes the atmosphere of a holy sanctuary, and rivals that of Avery in elegance. Amply spaced mahogany tables are illuminated by a row of desk lights, chandeliers dangle from the ceiling, and enormous windows facing Philosophy Hall and College Walk let in generous amounts of sunshine. One of these windows is a stained glass portrayal of Justice, and is the only reminder of the library’s initial association with the law school.

Lehman Social Sciences Library

A winding spiral staircase descends into this ultramodern hidden gem ensconced in the International Affairs Building. Lehman Library is home to over 330,000 political science, anthropology, sociology, and international relations titles, as well as 1,700 periodicals in those fields. Its slightly out-of-the-way location detracts from its popularity among undergraduates, and the labyrinth of rooms is bewildering to navigate at first, but Lehman’s amenities surpass even those of Butler. Lush couches and armchairs abound, there is a comfortably furnished group study area, and the monitors in the cavernous computer lab are as big as TV screens. Oh, and it’s quiet—deathly so.