No definitive statements regarding the collections have been located. Primarily German, Dutch, and English, with acquisition of criticism in other Western European languages. Translations of primary sources when considered of value for comparative literature studies. Emphasis is on scholarly treatment rather than popularization, textbooks, and children's literature. The Undergraduate Library normally collects more popular treatments and the Education and Social Sciences Library collects children's literature for its School Collection.
Materials have subject focus on some aspect of the German and Dutch languages and literatures.
In addition, juvenile literature is acquired selectively and is given greater emphasis when the authors are important literary figures. Appropriate primary and secondary works, and bibliographic, and reference materials are acquired. Ordinarily, dissertations, theses and translations are selectively collected. Audio-visual materials are normally collected selectively. New and revised editions or important works are purchased when new explanatory or primary material is introduced.