The geographical location of the University of Tromsø suggests that our library has a special responsibility for augmenting collections of relevance to the northern regions. A collection of antique maps is also a part of these collections. Much of the University Library's literature pertaining to the northern regions is located at Tromsø Museum Library.

Tromsø Museum Library also houses the collection of Just Knud Qvigstad. Regarded as the founder of Lapp research, Qvigstad (1853-1957) was one of the most prominent representatives of this field. The collection consists of approximately 2500 books. It is an interdisciplinary collection but major tracts deal with Sami and Finnish culture. Some of the books, too, are beautifully bound in lumpfish skins by Qvigstad himself.