The Chinese Studies Library was created in 1927 as part of the Institut des hautes études chinoises (IHEC), founded in 1920. It grew rapidly thanks to generous funding from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the advice of scholars such as Marcel Granet, Paul Pelliot, Henri Maspero and others. In the years 1950, it was augmented by the rich library of the Centre d'études sinologiques of the University of Paris in Peking. It has also received substantial bequests from Louis Hambis and other professors.
The IHEC library has been part of the Collège de France libraries since 1972. It houses one of Europe's leading sinological collections. Its holdings exceed 120 000 titles in 140 000 volumes, and 1 600 periodical titles can be consulted, including 400 living .The library's main holdings relate to pre-imperial and imperial China, but there is also a significant collection of rare works from the Republican period.Its collection of early local monographs (difangzhi 地方志) is the largest in Europe ; it also boasts an impressive collection of collectanea (congshu 叢書, 1 400 titles), as well as a collection of rare works (shanben 善本) . There are also 34 original copies of Qing-era (1644-1911) Palace examinations, as well as 1 600 ancient prints.
The library's remarkable holdings are gradually being digitized and put online on Salamandre, and presented on the Collège de France library booklet.
These older collections are enriched year after year by new acquisitions : secondary works published in all languages, large collections of reprints of older works (systematically catalogued), new journals, etc.
In May 2021, the library was awarded the " CollEx- collections d'excellence "label , enabling it to take part in national projects to map and digitize holdings, or to participate in calls for projects involving researchers.
The library offers 58, seats, including 3, carrels and 2, rooms for group work in a reading room shared by the 5 Asian Worlds libraries.
