The CSEAS library has been a most essential foundation in the promotion of research activities in Southeast Asian studies. As the result of ongoing collection development focusing on academic publications on Southeast Asia, the library now holds approximately 180,000 items and assures access to both domestic and overseas patrons through its open access policy and reference services. The library places strong emphasis on publications published in Southeast Asia and especially, in the case of Thailand and Indonesia, up to date book acquisitions operated through the CSEAS overseas liaison offices in Bangkok and Jakarta. In addition, the library also collects many archival materials from the colonial period in microfilm form.
While the library is devoted to collecting and providing access to historical documents and academic works on Southeast Asia, it is also keen to respond to changes in Southeast Asia through working together with researchers. For example, the CSEAS co-research program now has a special slot for document based research and provides adequate funding for the acquisition of library materials related to proposed archival based research. This open and collaborative atmosphere of the library is also created by the librarians that the library receives as foreign fellows. Over the past 20 years since 1986, many librarians from both Southeast Asia and United States have spent up to 6 months at the library and not only pursued their academic research interests, but also contributed to the development of the library in various ways. The library looks forward to working many other librarians and researchers in the near future.
