A music library contains music-related materials for patron use. Collections may also include non-print materials, such as digitized music scores or audio recordings. Use of such materials may be limited to specific patron groups, especially in private academic institutions. Music library print collections include dictionaries and encyclopedias, indexes and directories, printed music, music serials, bibliographies, and other music literature. Some public libraries have music rooms.

Traditionally, there are four types of music libraries:

A musical instrument library lends or shares musical instruments. Examples can be found in Canada; Massachusetts, Illinois, Ohio, Washington and New York in the United States.

With the development of the media industry (film production, production of computer games, advertising), musical works created using digital technologies have become especially in demand, characterized by the use of various audio effects libraries and musical instruments. Over the past decade, many digital musical instrument library companies have grown, including Spitfire, Cinesamples, Heavyocity, Soundiron, and Native Instruments. Some are focused on reproducing the sounds of the instruments of the classical orchestra in digital format, others on creating libraries of traditional folk instruments, including Arabic instruments, Turkish, Iranian, Indian, Japanese and others.