Die Bibliothek sammelt Literatur in den Bereichen Mathematik, Physik, Materialwissenschaft, Chemie, Biologie und Kognitionswissenschaft. Der Bestand umfasst überwiegend Monografien, Proceedingsbände werden nur bei besonderer Bedeutung der Konferenz erworben.

Die Bibliothek ist eine Spezialbibliothek mit Sammelschwerpunkten in den jeweiligen Arbeitsgebieten des Instituts: biomedizinische Optik, Biophysik, molekulare Biomechanismen, molekulare Neurobiologie und Zellphysiologie.

The Library and Information Service (BIS) is the joint library for the Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology (MPI-M) and five institutes of the Center for Earth System Science and Sustainability. The cooperation with some university institutes regarding the library exists since the foundation of the MPI-M in 1975.

The MPI-CBG library provides comprehensive literature and informations services to all MPI-CBG members and guests.

The special library maintained by the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology contains approximately 15,000 books and series of volumes and 25,900 bound journals covering the fields of biochemistry, organic chemistry, molecular and cell biology, protein chemistry and structural biology.

The MPI-MP opened its reference library in 1995. The library houses over 2000 books and 120 prominent molecular biology-related journals.

The Library of the Max-Planck-Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity is a specialized library with a focus on religious studies, anthropology, political science and sociology. The library does not participate in interlibrary loans but serves as a reference library to provide literature and information, mainly to the members of the Institute.

Gemeinsamer Katalog des Max-Planck-Instituts für Biogeochemie und des Max-Planck-Instituts für Chemische Ökologie, Jena.

The scientific research library provides literature and information for both the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics and the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research. The main focus of the collection is set by the research priorities of the departments and is developed according to the research profile.

The library of the MPIs Martinsried is a specialized reference library primarily rendering services to research staff and visiting scientists. Its collection of books and ejournals is mainly used on behalf of the Institute's research projects.

The Campus Library is a shared service unit for following neighboring Max Planck institutes: Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen and the Friedrich Miescher Laboratory

Nature Publishing Group (NPG) is a publisher of high impact scientific and medical information in print and online. NPG publishes journals, online databases, and services across the life, physical, chemical and applied sciences and clinical medicine. The MPG subscription also covers article-processing charges for Max Planck authors in Nature journals. Further details are available on the MPDL website.