The core of the more than four million units large NLL collections is the national collection — Latvian and foreign editions about Latvia and Latvians, works by Latvian authors; collecting, preserving and ensuring the accessibility of these is the basic task of the NLL and the priority in collection development. The comprehensiveness of the national collection is ensured by the Latvian legal deposit copy, established in 1920.

The Library has created one of the two largest national collections and has become an important universal research library in the state. The thematic profile of the NLL collection is humanities and social sciences. The collected editions in foreign languages cover all branches of science, however, with varying intensity, with due consideration of the specialisation of other major Latvian research libraries.

The diversity and richness of the Library collection are reflected in its special collections: Letonica, the Baltic Central Library, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Children’s Literature, Periodicals, Sheet Music and Music Literature, Sound Recordings, Cartographic Materials, Small Prints and Graphic Documents.

The most recent, topical and most demanded branch literature is found at the Reading Rooms of Social Sciences, Humanities, Law and Legislation, Reference and Information Centre. Collection of Library and Information Science provides specialists with comprehensive professional information.

The offer of Latvian and foreign licensed electronic databases is constantly expanding. The NLL in total subscribes to more than 40 various full text and bibliography databases, a specialised Reading Room of Electronic Resources has been set up.

Alongside the legal deposit copy and acquisitions the international exchange of printed matter is an important source of collection development. The NLL’s partners of cooperation are the national libraries of almost all European states, the U.S.A., Canada, Japan, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and other countries, in total – 61 partners of cooperation from 21 states

Donations are an important source for expanding the collection. At the beginning of 1990s, when the independent statehood was restored, the compatriots from various countries of domicile were sending and are still sending books published in exile. Thanks to these, also this part of the national collection is almost fully represented in the Library.

The greatest challenge and task in Library development for the coming years is the establishment of 350 thousand units large collection for free-access at the new NLL building, the assessment of the existing collection and high quality updating of it, developing the collection of electronic resources.