The construction of special collection resources is a critical measure to enhance the collection influence and service competitiveness of university libraries. It is essential to make specific requirements for special collection resources construction in university libraries through scientific and rational criteria. Among the top 100 universities in the QS 2024 World University "Academic Reputation" ranking, libraries of 10 universities were selected as research objects, and the content of special collection resources construction criteria of these 10 objects is summarized in five dimensions, including resource source, resource type, resource content, construction cost and construction effectiveness. Learning from the experience of famous foreign university libraries, this paper puts forward enlightenment for Chinese university libraries to promote special collection resources construction, including: enhancing the strategic positioning of special collection resources construction at multiple levels, improving policy guarantees for the development of special collection resources characteristically, striving for the support of diverse subjects vigorously, improving ability to construct special collection resources in all steps.