The library's reference collection includes a number of dictionaries, directories, atlases, and government publications, such as annual reports and white papers. For reasons of durability, hard-cover editions are preferred to paperbacks. However, paperbacks are also acquired when no other edition is available. Some major U.S. newspapers are also collected. Videocassettes feature-length Japanese films, language instructional videos, and documentary videos.
Sound cassettes Japanese language instructional tapes which complement textbooks in the collection.
Government documents specifically, white papers and annual reports. Maps and atlases of Japan. Dissertations recently-published dissertations on contemporary Japan. The SPF-USA Library collects materials published both in English and in Japanese. The term following the subject area refers both to the current level of the library's collection and to the extent which the library is actively collecting in that field.