The establishment of the scientific library service system began in the 20s of the last century. In view of the establishment of higher education institutions, research institutes and scientific societies in the republic in those years, there was a great need for opening scientific libraries. In November 1923, the ANAS Central Library of Science began as the office of bibliography of the Azerbaijan Society of Research and Investigation. The Society played a great role in the study of Azerbaijani history, archaeology, ethnography, geography, the Azerbaijani language and literature and cultural history in general.

On 4 November 1923, the Society decided to establish the Library-Bibliography Bureau and on 18 November the Library of the “Society of investigation and study of Azerbaijan”. In a short time, a lot of work was done to complete the newly organized library. Books were bought from all scientific institutions and libraries of the republic, as well as from Russia. The library was enriched with valuable scientific books and manuscripts.

In 1926, the library had more than 20,000 books and manuscripts. In 1929 the Society was re-organized into the Azerbaijan State Scientific-Research Institute. The library continued its activity as part of this institute. The fact that the Institute soon became a department of the Transcaucasian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences further expanded its capabilities and strengthened its material and technical base. In the 1930s, the task was set to replenish the library collection with valuable books and periodicals. The work of acquiring valuable books was entrusted to prominent scientists of the branch. In the 1930s the library managed to acquire many books and periodicals from various foreign countries.

The creation of the Oriental Department of the library in 1933 greatly expanded its capacity to serve Azerbaijani science and turned it into a centre of Azerbaijani studies. Soon, more than 15,000 rare books in the Oriental languages were collected in this department. Among them were books printed by lithography in 18-19 centuries, more than a hundred valuable manuscripts, most of which belonged to 15-16 centuries. The department acquired private libraries of Azerbaijani classics M.F. Akhundov, A. Bakikhanov, J. Mammadguluzadeh, new manuscripts of Nizami and Fuzuli.

In 1945, with the establishment of the independent Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, a new stage of development in the history of the Central Scientific Library began. In 1963-1984 the Central Scientific Library of ANAS was called the Main Library. Since 1984 the library has been called the Central Scientific Library.
In the post-war years, the library network of the Academy grew significantly. Already in 1952 there were 82 libraries of research institutes in the republic, most of which were part of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan.

In 1967, the Central Scientific Library moved to the main building of ANAS, located in the academic campus of the Academy of Sciences. In 1974 there was issued an order on centralization of the library of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. Thus, in 1976 the centralization of the library network of the Academy was completed. The scientific library of the Academy became the central scientific library and the libraries of research institutes became its branches.

During the years of rule of great leader Heydar Aliyev, the Central Scientific Library of ANAS has passed a bright path of development. The year 2015 was marked by many important events in the life of the Central Scientific Library. The Central Scientific Library continued its activity in the new building constructed by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 29 April 2011 and put into operation with his participation. The new Charter and structure of the Central Scientific Library were approved. The books stored in the library’s collections were moved from the main building of ANAS to the new building of the library. The implementation of the National Digital Memory project was launched, as well as the preparation of the Unified Management Programme. Also in 2015, the “Akadem Kitab” Sales Centre became part of the CNL. At the same time, the Information Resource Centre was established as part of the CNB. The main task of the Information Resources Centre is to automate library and information processes, collect and store information of strategic importance for the CNB, transfer it to future generations, and provide information to the scientific community of Azerbaijan.

The 2-million fund of library is permanently replenished with both domestic and foreign literature, the number of publications acquired by exchange from more than 600 prestigious scientific and educational institutions of the world is increasing, access to large-scale electronic databases such as EBSCO, INTAS, SVITS, IOP, APS are opened, due to which it becomes possible to fully meet the needs of readers.

The scientific works published on a permanent basis in the Central Scientific Library receive an international standard serial number (ISSN - 2219-5874) and are included in the “List of scientific publications recommended to edit the main conclusions of dissertations in Azerbaijan Republic”, approved in accordance with the protocol of the Presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 30 April 2010.

A number of important books and personal bibliographies have been prepared and published in the Central Library. The library regularly organizes seminars, sessions, exhibitions and conferences. These services are a great contribution of the Central Scientific Library of ANAS to the science and culture of the republic. The library, which has great scientific potential, successfully continues its work and service to our science and culture.

Recommended literature:

1. Xələfov, Abuzər Alı oğlu. XXI əsrin əvvələrində Azərbaycanda kitabxana işinin əsas inkişaf istiqamətləri: mülahizələr, təkliflər və proqnozlar /A. Xələfov ; red. K. İ. Aslan ; elmi məsləhətçi A. İ. Əliyeva-Kəngərli ; AMEA Mərkəzi Elmi Kitabxana. - Bakı: 2006. - 106 s.
2. İslamova, Şəfəq İsrafil qızı. Azərbaycan Milli Elmlər Akademiyası kitabxanası şəbəkəsinin təşəkkülü və inkişafı: 1923-2000-ci illər: monoqrafiya / Ş. İ. İslamova ; elmi red. A. A. Xələfov ; red. K. İ. Aslan. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2010. - 190 s.
3. Xələfov, Abuzər Alı oğlu. Azərbaycanda kitabxana işinin tarixi: 1933-1958 /A. A. Xələfov. - Bakı: Azərnəşr, 1974. – 243 s.
4. Xələfov, Abuzər Alı oğlu. Azərbaycanda kitabxana işinin tarixi: Qısa icmal /Abuzər Xələfov; Rəyçilər: R. Ə. Kazımov, A. Ə. Cəfərov; Red.: K. Aslan. - Bakı: Bakı Universiteti, 2001. - 52 s.
5. Xələfov, Abuzər Alı oğlu. Kitabxana və cəmiyyət : monoqrafiya / A. A. Xələfov ; elmi red. L. A. Məmmədova ; red. K. İ. Aslan. - Bakı : Azərnəşr, 2011. - 309 s.
6. Исмайылов, Надир. Библиотечно-библиографические и информационные ресурсы Азербайджанской Республики: этапы развития, состояние и пути совершенствования: [монография] /Н. Исмайылов ; ред. А. А. Халафов ; Гос. Агентство по Стандартизации, Метрологии и Патентам Азерб. Респ., Респ. Научно-Техническая Библиотека, БГУ. - Баку: Мутарджим, 2005. - 299 с.