Analogous to the general printed matter holdings of the Staatsbibliothek, the printed works and microforms acquired by the Oriental Department, whether in Asian, African or European languages, are usually displayed in the stacks and can be ordered from there and either used in the reading room or borrowed, provided that their year of publication is after 1955.

The old holdings of the Oriental Department of the former Prussian State Library were also affected by the evacuation in the 2nd World War and the subsequent division. It is therefore located today partly in the house Unter den Linden, partly in the house Potsdamer Straße and in the outdoor magazine.

The newer print collection, which was built up in the Asia-Africa Department of the German State Library (GDR), is currently displayed in the external stacks, while the acquisitions of the Oriental Department of the Staatsbibliothek Preußischer Kulturbesitz are usually located in the Potsdamer Straße building.

The information centres provide information on the exact distribution of the stocks among the houses. The Staatsbibliothek's total holdings of literature from and about the regions served by the Oriental Department comprise more than 600,000 volumes (monographs, journals and microforms).

View here: New Acquisitions of the Oriental Department