The library was founded to meet the research needs of the Institute. In accordance with the research prospects of the Institute and policies governing collection acquisition, for the last five decades the library has accumulated a substantial collection of important historical records and ancient texts in ethnology, psychology, Taiwan studies, religious studies, and studies of Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period, which include old contracts, land tax reports, temple registries, religious tracts, and other documents.
During 1969 and 1970, in response to developments and transformations in Taiwan society, and in an effort to incorporate theory and application in anthropology, the Institute promoted combined research on “behavioral science”. Furthermore, upon the establishment of the Area Research Division in 1986, the scope of research was extended to East Asia and Southeast Asia, and the southern and southwestern areas of China. Consequently, the library has a substantial collection in psychology, sociology, and Southeast Asian studies. The Institute of Sociology, and the Southeast Asian Research Project (now the Asia-Pacific Research Center) moved into the Institute's research building in 1995 and 2000, respectively. These collections have been incorporated into our library. To meet the research needs of the two Institutes, the library has since accumulated a variety of resources in sociology, political science, labor research, sociology of education, sociology of religion, and Southeast Asian studies.
In early November 2006, the collection of the Institute of Sociology was relocated to the Joint Libraries of Humanities and Social Sciences.
As of 31 December 2024, the details of the library collection are as follows:
| Categories | Quantity |
| Books in Eastern language | 122,518 |
| Books in Western language | 89,238 |
| Bound periodicals in Eastern language | 18,756 |
| Bound periodicals in Western language | 13,674 |
| Periodicals (subscription) | 178 |
| Periodicals (Exchange) | 122 |
| Periodicals (Complimentary) | 103 |
| Periodicals (Terminated subscriptions and out-of-print publications) | 1,914 |
| Disks and online database | 7 |
| Library database | 7 |
| Human relations area microfiche | 17 years |
| Ethnological microfilms | 1,034 |
| Maps in Eastern language | 7,928 |
| Maps in Western language | 360 |
| Pamphlets in Eastern language | 643 |
| Pamphlets in Western language | 2,133 |
| E-books in Eastern language | 1,208 |
| E-books in Western language | 573 |
| Video Collection in Eastern language | 543 |
| Video Collection in Western language | 35 |
In addition to bookshelves, reading desks and chairs, the library facilities include: 1 microfilm reader, one typewriter (English), and 8 photocopiers . The library has also purchased 20 personal computers since 1989, which can be used for data input and Internet browsing. In 1992, the library purchased 1 DEC4000/60 disk image workshop, which has been used to transfer old contract documents to disks, providing greater convenience. Furthermore, the networks have connected the Institute to Academia Sinica and other institutes, permitting greater access to online databases.