Chinatown Heritage Collection

Discover Chatham Square Library’s Chinese & Chinatown Heritage Collection (CHC), featuring books and other items available for research and browsing.

This collection includes various multi-genre materials that are available at the branch as well as digitally. 

We welcome users of all ages and backgrounds to use the works in this collection in new and imaginative ways. To schedule a reference consultation, email us at chathamsquare@nypl.org.

Onsite Resources at Chatham Square Library

Books

Discover over 800 volumes, both in Chinese and English, spanning ancient classics and cultural materials to present day fiction, socio-political nonfiction, and commentary. Search for these titles in the Library’s catalog or browse the Heritage Collection annotated bibliography.

Atlases, Maps & Photographs

Explore atlases, fine art books, and nonfiction with historical photographs. The Library also has a wide array of Chinatown maps and photographs available in the Digital Collections.

Digital Resources Available 24/7

Databases & More

Browse primary and scholarly sources including JSTOR, Ancestry Library Edition, The New York Times (1851-2019), and The New York Times (1980-present). The Library also offers runs of several New York City-based Chinese-language newspapers.

Digitized Books & Archives 

Find books about Chinatown in the Library’s Digital Research Books, browse thousands of documents through Hathi Trust Digital Library (search for “Chinatown”), or use Google Books to access additional books, documents, and more.