The chronological emphasis is from 1600 to the early twentieth century. The geographic emphasis is on France, England, Italy, and Germany. Present acquisitions are selective. Language Not applicable. Most titles are catalogued for the library's on-line catalogue.
Uncatalogued material is also accessible.
LC subject headings are used. The material is arranged according to an in-house classification scheme based on accession numbers. The holdings are recorded in the National Library Union Catalogue. The collection is housed in the Gustav Mahler-Alfred Ros Rare Book Room of the Music Library, which is open to researchers. Tours are also available.