• Over 100,000 manuscripts and documents in Tibetan.
• Special holdings including several handwritten editions of the Kangyur and Tengyur. The Tibetan book and manuscript collection maintains holdings of more than 100,000 manuscripts, xylographs (wood block prints), documents, illuminated manuscripts and microfilm records. Together these form one of the most important such collections in the world. The collection ranges from centuries-old texts to contemporary books and periodicals. A significant portion of the collection is made up of ancient holy texts that were carried out of Tibet by those escaping to India during the early days of exile. While the cold climate of Tibet served perfectly to preserve these texts for many hundreds of years, India 's heat and humidity poses a new challenge. These delicate texts are therefore kept in a protective, air-conditioned environment within the library.
The main body of the manuscript collection is comprised of the major works of Tibet 's four Buddhist traditions, the Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug schools, as well as the indigenous Bon tradition. Of special value are several handwritten editions of the Kangyur and Tengyur (the Tibetan Buddhist canon), sixteen handwritten volumes of miscellaneous works from the Phudrag Monastery, and sixteen additional volumes commissioned in the fifteenth century by Tsagta, Chief of Eastern Kongpo. Several hundred volumes are added to the Tibetan collection each year, ranging from rare and original manuscripts to contemporary reprints in book form. New materials are sourced from among those donated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama as well as being directly acquired from Tibet .
Parts of the library's collection are open to the public, while other parts are restricted to accredited scholars and researchers. The library houses a Tibetan section reading room and research guidance is available from resident scholars. A computerized catalogue of all materials in the collection is currently nearing completion. This task has been made more difficult by the nature of the holdings and the tendency for works to have elaborate titles containing similar epithets and for authors to be known by a variety of names. The catalogue can be accessed with the assistance of library staff. The Tibetan manuscript library maintains manuscript exchange programs with other institutions around the world. In special cases, institutions may provide photocopies of rare and important works that are otherwise unavailable for general circulation or loan.
For more information  E-MAIL LIBRARIAN (Mr. Lobsang Shastri)
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