National, international, state and regional materials and topics are all represented within this scope. English is the primary language of the collection, though important resources in European languages are also emphasized. Except for historical works, our goal is to have the works that are most current in each field. Level of materials is focused on those works appropriate for a university collection. Textbooks, juvenile literature and some reference tools of a popular nature more appropriate to public and school libraries are generally excluded.
Formats collected include paper, microfilm and electronic access, whether local or remote.
The latter format, particularly for remote access, means that there are many resources which are reference tools, and which may be purchased with reference funds, which are not physically located in the Reference Department. Additional information about acquisition and retention of the collection is available from the Reference Department.