Central Library is a multi-disciplinary library serving primarily NUS staff and students from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Engineering, the School of Computing and the School of Design and Environment. Its special collections include Singapore/Malaysia and Rare Books Collections.

Originally established in 1957, the Law Library was renamed the C J Koh Law Library in 2001, in memory of the late Mr Koh Choon Joo who donated more than S$5 million towards the upgrading of the library and its collection. It caters primarily to the Faculty of Law and was gazetted a national monument in 2009.

Medical Library is the oldest Special Library whose origin can be traced back to 1905 when the Straits and Federated Malay States Government Medical School was set up. It serves primarily the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Dentistry, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Duke-NUS Medical School. Additionally, it is used by hospital doctors, health-services personnel, general practitioners, medical officers of the Armed Forces and more.

Music Library is situated on Level 1 of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music building. Its collection is focused on western art music tradition and comprises books, music scores, CDs, DVDs and journals. A small electronic piano is also in the Library for the convenience of the Conservatory's students and researchers.

Wan Boo Sow Chinese Library primarily supports the teaching and research of the Department of Chinese Studies and Department of Japanese Studies. Its collection includes Chinese literature, Chinese history, Chinese philosophy, Chinese linguistics, Chinese Overseas Studies and Japanese materials. It is notable for its strengths in traditional thread-bound Chinese books, Four Treasure Library series, Chinese newspapers published outside China, Taiwan, Hong Kong & Macau, rare Chinese periodicals during the Republic of China, and Southeast Asian Chinese materials.