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The General Collection contains works of general reference and general orientalia and is classified by a scheme devised for the library at its inception (also used for the Minor and South Asian collections).

The Jewish Studies Collection (9,000 volumes approx. at March 2004) is stronger in the biblical and traditional areas; however there is limited coverage of the modern period, avoiding duplication with the Middle East Library which, in concerning itself with the State of Israel, collects material relating to Zionism but not to the Jews of the diaspora in general.

The reference section is on the ground floor of the library. This collection is classified by a special scheme. There are also Minor Collections (4,000 volumes approx., at March 2004) of books on general Semitics, Syriac, Ethiopic, Armenian and Georgian studies. Again reference works are on the ground floor.  The Hebrew Muller Library at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies has additional collections.  

The Islamic Collection (18,000 volumes approx. at March 2004) reflects an interest lying principally in the fields of language, literature, history, philosophy and culture, the more specialised areas (like science and technology) being left to other local libraries to develop. It should be noted that the modern (1800-) history, politics, economics, etc. of the Middle East and North Africa are the responsibility of the Middle East Centre Library of St. Antony's College. The Islamic collection is classified by a modified form of the Library of Congress scheme.

The Oriental Institute Library and the Middle East Library are complementary collections for Near and Middle Eastern studies.

The South Asian Collection (8,000 volumes approx. at March 2004) housed in the Library basement caters essentially for students of Sanskrit in the Honour School and consequently shows greater strength in the classical periods of Indian history and culture, although efforts are made to maintain an adequate collection of grammars, manuals and dictionaries of the major modern languages of India. The reference section is on the ground floor of the library.

The Japan/Korea Collection (6,500 volumes approx. at March 2004) comprises western works relating to traditional Japan and Korea except art and archaeology; a selection of historical and literary texts in Japanese relevant to the courses offered; and a reference section of works (in all languages) concerned with these areas. The books (periodicals being kept with the library's main periodical collection) are arranged on the shelves by subject according to the Harvard-Yenching classification. There are two sections: the main collection is in the basement, while the reference section of confined dictionaries, bibliographies etc., occupies part of the reading room.

The card catalogues have been superseded by SOLO (for works in western languages and Korean) and by the allegro Japanese catalogue for material in Japanese. The latter is searchable both in original script and in transliteration; instructions are to be found near the terminals and on the 'help' screens provided. The holdings of the Bodleian Japanese Library are indispensable to students of Japan. Besides rich collections on the whole field, it maintains a loan collection on modern Japan which is essentially complementary to that of the Oriental Institute Library.

No attempt has been made to build up a comprehensive collection of journals, since most relevant titles are taken somewhere in Oxford. Periodicals are recorded in the appropriate on-line catalogues and current issues of selected titles are placed on display. The library holds information on journals held by other libraries in the University and staff are always willing to help locate a title not found in the library's own limited collection or on SOLO. Periodicals may not be borrowed.