It is named after its early benefactor Robert Barr Smith and was formally established in 1882, though its history dates back to 1877 when it purchased its first book.

[6][4] In 1928, his son Tony Elder Barr Smith donated almost £35,000 towards a new building for the library to reduce congestion at its original site.

It features oak flooring and furniture with white pillars holding the guilded and ivory arches that form the rounded ceiling.

[8][2][5] Between the pillars and the arches are two large Latin inscriptions that run across both sides of the room in gold and commemorate the donations from Robert and his family who played a major role in its development.

[8][6][2] In mid-2023, over 61 paper planes were found in ledges around the ceiling of the reading room, including one made using a university brochure dating back to 1991.