Reference Sources for Canadian Literary Studies offers the first full-scale bibliography of writing on and in the field of Canadian literary studies. Approximately one thousand annotated entries are arranged by reference genre, with sub-groupings related to literary genre.

From 1891 to 1918 the reports consist of the Report of the director and appendixes, which from 1893 include various bulletins issued by the library (Additions; Bibliography; History; Legislation; Library school; Public libraries) These, including the Report of the director, were each issued also separately.

The 1st volume (1896) includes important publications of 1895.