The strength of the Main Library collection by 2010 is over 400,000 volumes mainly on Social Sciences and Humanities and the collection includes monographs, serials, maps, manuscripts, records and audio –visual materials. The library provides open access to most of the resources except for few special collections.
Permanent and quick reference collection of bibliographies, encyclopedias, dictionaries, yearbooks etc. and all other reference tools are housed in the Reading Room I in the Ground Floor. Permanent reference materials of all subject areas are arranged in Reading Room II in the 1st Floor.
Scheduled reference materials that prescribed by the academic staff members of the faculty are organized at the Scheduled reference counter in the 1st floor which serves mainly for the undergraduate population.
Current periodical room located in the ground floor contains 160 periodical titles (subscribed, complimentary and exchange), mainly on Social Sciences and Humanities. Back issues of above periodicals are located in the top most floor (5th floor) of the library.
Ceylon Collection - Permanent Reference Collection on Sri Lankan Literature
Comprehensive collection on Humanities and Social Sciences in relation to Sri Lanka. Contains monographs, Sri Lankan journals and articals and Government Publications from 1860. Total number of items by 2010, over twenty four thousand. (24,000). Largest and the best collection on Sri Lankan studies among university Libraries.
Repository to the Department of National Archives, Sri Lanka (Since 1951)
Main Library of the University of Peradeniya has been functioning as one of the repositories to the Legal Deposit collection of the Department of National Archives Sri Lanka under the Printers and Publishers Ordinance sanctioned in 1951. This valuable collection consisting of about 325,000 items is stored under the preservative conditions and can be consulted only under special circumstances.