Materials sought are those not regularly obtained by affiliate Departments, particularly those in support of varying ASTA (Special Studies) course offerings. These distinctive courses change from semester to semester and emphasize facets of Asian literature, culture, history, economics, politics, sociology, philosophy, art, and religions not regularly covered or emphasized in coordinate Departments. The ranges and types of materials are therefore broad and variable; examples include in-depth, one-semester courses in Japanese painting or Hinduism. Generally excluded are popular, ephemeral materials; focuses are on scholarly, advanced-research, specialized publications. Children's literature and inspirational materials are excluded except when functioning as intrinsic parts of Special Studies courses.
