The books chosen for study at St. John s are collected in the best editions and translations that can be obtained. These works form the basis of the collection, with additional volumes serving as secondary sources and representative works in the major fields of learning. For a small liberal arts library the collection is quite rich in works written in French, Ancient Greek, Classical Chinese, Sanskrit and German, in original papers of the great scientists and mathematicians, and in the works of classical philosophers.
Many libraries provide a broad coverage of the classics.
We do so in depth. The Library strives to keep at least one copy of every program reading readily accessible to students and tutors. The Reserve Collection, located at the Circulation Desk, contains program readings for seminars, tutorials, preceptorials and labs, as well as program music. It also includes high demand materials such as compact discs, videos, printed lectures, senior essays, and a few periodicals. Additional copies of many program materials are available in the general collection.