The core of the Music Collection at the time of its opening consisted of objects from the collection of former Musicology Unit of Wrocław University (approximately 15,000 items). The majority of them had previously belonged to the collection of Musikalisches Institut at Wrocław University (the successor of the institution formerly known as Königliches Akademisches Institut für Kirchenmusik established in 1815, which collected the Lower Silesia church music left behind after the dissolution of monasteries or no longer used for the liturgical purposes). The afore-mentioned collections, which were transferred to the University of Warsaw Library in accordance with the act passed by the Ministry of Higher Education in 1952, included nearly 4,500 music manuscripts from the period between the 16th and 20th century, early printed music and numerous valuable books and scores, mostly of German origin. The most priceless items of the Wrocław collection are the mensural codex from the turn of the 15th and 16th century (“Kodeks wrocławski” (“Wrocław codex”) RM 5892 olim Mf 2016), the set of 18th century lute tablatures from the Cistercian abbey in Krzeszów and unique items, such as Missa super O gloriosa Domina by Marcin Mielczewski (17th century), manuscript copies of Bach, Händel and other composer’s works related to Wrocław Singakademie active in the first decades of the 19th century. The Collections of old manuscripts are subject to systematic development of an international database of RISM (Répertoire International des Sources Musicales). Nearly two-and-a-half thousand 19th and 20th century books and printed music items were transferred as a deposit to the University of Warsaw Unit (later Institute) of Musicology.

The collection of historic printed music housed in The University of Warsaw Library includes rare Polish musical items from the Library’s old collection which survived the war, including the collection of 16th century “Olkusz Partbooks” and an 18th century liturgical manuscript known as Graduał łowicki (Łowicz Graduale). Some historic objects belonging to the Library music collection are housed in other Library departments: Melodie na psałterz polski (Melodies for Polish Psalter) by Mikołaj Gomółka is kept in the Early Imprints Department, along with the small collection of early printed music (mostly liturgica), while the Print Room stores a magnificent manuscript of J.-G. Noverre’s treatise entitled Théorie et pratique de la danse together with Médée et Jason ballet score and costume designs.

Currently the Music Department collects primarily printed music received as the legal deposit from Polish publishers. Its holdings reflect quite faithfully Polish music repertory published after 1945, in particular that produced by Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne publishing house. The legal deposit acquisitions have been complemented through purchases of foreign publications; thus, the Department collections contain numerous titles belonging to the canon of music, including collective works of various composers, series of critical editions of printed music from various periods and places, etc. Around 1000 interesting position, not protected by copyright, (this number is growing) mostly Polish music of the 19th century, is published in the eBUW and IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project, also known as the Petrucci Music Library).

Visitors to the Department reading room are provided with reference works in the field of music (including the basics of musicology resources: encyclopaedias, lexicons, guides, catalogues, bibliographies, monographs on composers, etc) as well as a computer workstation, a listening booth and Yamaha-Clavinova synthesizer.