Bibliography of American Literature is a comprehensive bibliographic guide, providing nearly 40,000 records of the literary works of approximately 300 American writers from the American Revolution to 1930. BAL lists every reprint and variant edition of an authors works, including obscure and fugitive appearances in anthologies, broadsides, and gift books. It also includes details on bindings and physical features of the editions.

BAL originally appeared in print in nine volumes, published for the Bibliographical Society of America by Yale University Press between 1955 and 1991. All nine volumes of BAL are fully searchable together.