The main focus of the Library's collections is Canada's Aboriginal peoples and the Canadian North. In addition to documents on native housing, northern housing and community planning, other subject areas covered include Canadian history, the environment, political science, economic development, management, public administration and information technology. Here are some highlights of the collections, which include more than 60,000 titles (85,000 volumes).

• an extensive collection of Canadian Aboriginal and northern magazines, including many that are no longer published;

• 400 current magazine and journal subscriptions;

• a large number of Canadian government documents;

• approximately 2,000 rare books; and

• a microfilm copy of the department's historic files (Records Group or RG 10 files) on Indian Affairs. (The originals are kept at the National Archives of Canada.)