The present invention provides methods, compositions and kits for the generation of next generation sequencing (NGS) libraries in which non-desired nucleic acid sequences have been depleted or substantially reduced. The methods, compositions and kits provided herein are useful, for example, for the production of libraries from total RNA with reduced ribosomal RNA and for the reduction of common mRNA species in expression profiling from mixed samples where the mRNAs of interest are present at low levels. The methods of the invention can be employed for the elimination of non-desired nucleic acid sequences in a sequence-specific manner, and consequently, for the enrichment of nucleic acid sequences of interest in a nucleic acid library.