The combined holdings of UK libraries of documents originating from Asia are an incomparable and priceless research resource for scholars working in all disciplines and all areas of Asian studies. The materials have been gathered over 400 years, and represent three thousand years of the documentation of the cultures and history of Asia and North Africa.

It is vital for future generations that this heritage is preserved. For most Asian languages, particularly for historical materials and manuscripts, which are the main focus of this project, the quality, range and depth of UK collections is unsurpassed in the West.

Geographically, coverage is comprehensive, from the Bosphorus to Japan, including North Africa, the Near and Middle East, Central Asia, Inner Asia, South and Southeast Asia, and the Far East. All disciplines are represented, and chronologically collections range from the earliest written record to current materials.