Geographical Areas Areas collected most intensively include all of North Africa and the Middle East from Morocco through Afghanistan. The collection encompasses a broad chronological spectrum. For the Ancient Near East, materials on the Syro-Palestinian region and Biblical Studies are collected most heavily. Mesopotamia and Egypt are collected more selectively. The Library is highly selective in the acquisition of materials on other areas of the Ancient Near East.
Emphasis is on historical, linguistic, literary, and religious material.
Archaeological material is collected only if it encompasses these four areas. Politics, sociology, anthropology, economics, and the fine and performing arts are collected somewhat more selectively, but actively. Exhibition catalogs, maps, textbooks for language instruction and dissertations are acquired very selectively. In general, Bobst Library is strong in Arabic and Islamic reference sources, classical and modern Arabic literature, and the history of the Middle East. The stacks collection includes approximately 4,000 books and journals from the library of the late Islamic scholar Gaston Wiet.