The Kiel University Library was founded in 1665 together with Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel). Its initial holdings consisted of manuscripts and prints from the Bordesholm Augustinian Canons' Monastery, dissolved in the 16th century- a cultural legacy that still forms the oldest part of the library's collections.

By the end of the 18th century, the library had gained increasing prominence as a scholarly institution in the German-speaking world. The opening of its first purpose-built library building on Brunswiker Straße in 1884 marked the beginning of a phase of systematic expansion, during which infrastructure, organization, and professional library practice were steadily developed.

The Second World War represented a profound turning point. A bombing raid on 29 April 1942 destroyed around half of the more than 500,000 volumes then held. In the postwar years, the focus shifted toward renewal: in 1966 the library moved into a new building on the Olshausenstraße campus, and in 2001 the Central Library on Leibnizstraße became another major milestone in its architectural development. In 2015, the university and library celebrated their shared 350th anniversary.

Today, Kiel University Library is a central information and service infrastructure of the university and sees itself as a driver of digital transformation at CAU. Digitization, research data management, and Open Science shape its profile alongside innovative approaches to information literacy. Historical collections are systematically digitized and integrated into research-oriented services.

Through the SchriftGut.SH portal, the library provides barrier-free global access to the written cultural heritage of Schleswig-Holstein, bridging historical depth with modern digitization technologies.

As the operator of the Specialised Information Service for Northern Europe, it is part of Germany's national research infrastructure and an internationally connected centre of expertise supporting the Northern European research community across the German-speaking world through specialised digital services.

Continuous modernization in recent years has created attractive learning and working environments tailored to users' needs, offering space for focused study as well as creative exchange.

With its integrated portfolio of infrastructure, services, and expertise, Kiel University Library sees itself as a partner in the university's ongoing development and a reliable actor in the science and research landscape of Schleswig-Holstein.