The Burgerbibliothek Bern collects publications relating to its archival holdings and on technical issues connected with archiving. These can be consulted in the reading room, but cannot be borrowed. The holdings relating to Albrecht von Haller (1708–1777) and Jeremias Gotthelf (1797–1854) are particularly extensive.

• Albrecht von Haller collection: Haller’s own library was sold to Milan after his death and is now mostly to be found in the Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense. However, the Burgerbibliothek holds a largely complete collection of his works and secondary literature about him.
• Reference in the library catalogue: BBB Haller
• Jeremias Gotthelf collection: As a complement to Gotthelf’s personal archives, the Burgerbibliothek offers a collection of his works and research literature about him.
• Reference in the library catalogue: BBB JG

The «historical libraries» are collections of printed publications created outside the Burgerbibliothek by private individuals or (in one case) an association. Since coming into the Burgerbibliothek’s possession, they have been conserved as closed collections and are no longer added to. They document the interests of their previous owners and complement their archives.

von Mülinen Library: At the time of Niklaus Friedrich von Mülinen (1760–1833), founder of the Schweizerische Geschichtforschende Gesellschaft, the library of the von Mülinen family, consisting of 8,400 volumes, was the most important Helvetica book collection in Switzerland. The library consists of works from the 16^th to the 20^th century, mainly relating to genealogy, heraldry and history, but also contains some works on the history of other European countries and the USA. In addition, the collection contains important volumes of print graphics.

• Reference in the library catalogue: BBB Mül

von Mutach Library: The book collection of the engineer Vinzenz von Mutach (1829–1911) with 1,230 publications, includes some Greek, Latin and French classics, but mainly consists of documents from the revolutionary period 1784–1803, pamphlets, collections of laws, writings on the judiciary and education as well as on fire insurance.

• Reference in the library catalogue: BBB Mut

Library of the Oekonomische Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft Bern: In addition to the archives of the Oekonomische Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft Bern, the Burgerbibliothek also holds parts of the Society’s former library, mainly works from the 18^th and 19^th centuries. As well as publications by the Society such as the «Abhandlungen und Beobachtungen durch die ökonomische Gesellschaft zu Bern gesammelt», the library also includes other specialist agricultural journals, instructions and Hausväterliteratur, and publications about natural history and meteorology.

• Reference in the library catalogue: BBB OGG

Zeerleder Library: This family library of around 300 publications, primarily curated by Ludwig Zeerleder (1772–1840), mostly contains works from the 18^th and 19^th centuries. The subject matter includes art, natural and military history, mineralogy, law, philosophy, and religion.

• Reference in the library catalogue: BBB Zeerleder