The Marine Science Institute Library features a diverse collection of print and digital marine science resources, including books, serials, theses and dissertations, maps, and audiovisual materials. The initial collection was formed from book donations by in-house researchers, personal faculty subscriptions, and the Seaweeds and Invertebrates Information Center (SICEN) collection, which was transferred in 1994. Today, a significant portion of the collection consists of reprints from the Institute's various laboratories.
The library serves as a comprehensive information source for various marine science fields, including oceanography, marine biology, marine chemistry, marine geology, and marine biotechnology. It houses records of the Institute’s significant contributions to Philippine marine science—spanning marine biological diversity and tropical ecosystems, archipelagic oceanography, marine biotechnology, and climate change—since the official establishment of UP MSI in 1975.