The library's main collection comprises primarily recent publications on Tibetan culture, society, history, and literature from around the world and in four major languages: Tibetan, Chinese, English, and Dzongkha. Our collection focuses on contemporary materials, but the library also has classical literature, histories, and pioneering works of Tibetan studies by earlier scholars. In the general collection you will find:
- Catalogs, bibliographies, and indexes;
- Social science materials including statistics, reports, and surveys;
- Language texts and learning aids for Tibetan language;
- Tibetan medicine resources and almanacs;
- Resources on art, photography, and decorative arts;
- Classical and contemporary literature and literary theory;
- School textbooks in Tibetan and Dzongkha;
- Histories and biographies;
- Juvenile literature and learning tools for children in Tibetan and Dzongkha;
- Atlases, maps, gazetteers, local histories, annuals, and travel books;
- Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and glossaries;
- Government documents and publications.