Overview
THDL was established in 2000 in association with the University of Virginia Library and the Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, using the innovative FEDORA (Flexible Extensible Digital Object Repository Architecture) system.  Content includes publications, research resources, language learning materials, and a gazetteer.

THDL provides "an integrated environment for the digital publication of many diverse academic projects connected with Tibet and the Himalayan region". 
The structure of THDL consists of five overarching domains: Collections, Reference, Community, Tools, and Education. 

Content of THDL is in English, Tibetan, Nepali, Dzongkha and Chinese languages. Most content in the digital library is published under the THDL Public License For Digital Texts. 

The project is run by an international team of scholars from universities and private organizations around the world.

THDL hosts the Journal of the International Association of Tibetan Studies (JIATS), a freely available  online, peer-reviewed English language academic journal focusing on Tibetan studies.