The collection consists of approximately 17,000 volumes and is housed in the General Library, although that part formerly housed in the old Paterno Library has never been integrated into the General Library shelf list. Standard works of all classics are sought, both in Italian and, when available, in English as well. Critical materials are for the most part either in Italian or English, although critical materials in other major European languages are occasionally included if no translation into either Italian or English is available. Dialects and Italian literature appearing outside Italy itself are generally not collected, however. Overall, the library's existing collection for Italian Language and Literature is at the research level.
Current resources permit an acquisitions commitment for a study and teaching level collection.
Based upon an analysis of needs we feel we should be building a study and teaching level collection. Audio-visual materials, maps and textbooks are excluded. We collect materials focusing on current and twentieth, nineteenth, and earlier century topics extensively. We collect materials published in Italy, North America, and The United Kingdom extensively, other Western European Countries materials selectively.