The library is a study area for internal and external researchers and a centre of support for the technical staff members. In addition, the library is working towards a public research function that will allow it to contribute to the arts and cultural criticism debate at local, euregional, national and international levels.

The Jan van Eyck library houses a specialised collection of media on fine art, design and theory: books, periodicals, audio-visual material, and multimedia. The librarian, in cooperation with the advising researchers, defines the collection profile which is based on the three disciplines within the academy. Books are preferably bought in the original language in which they were published (English, French, Dutch and German), with English and Dutch as duplicate languages. The collection catalogue is online accesible via the PICA system.

Researchers and staff members get a free identity card, which enables them to borrow from the Jan van Eyck library and other libraries in the region, including the university library in Maastricht and the libraries of the tertiary institutes in Limburg. The media are also available to external parties.