It was established as a Foundation by two State laws, initially in 1995 and amended in 2005, combining the following institutions: In 2011 the library system had more than 3.4 million electronic and printed media.

The Foundation is a legal deposit library for all publications appearing in Berlin.

The ZLB also has significant historical and estate collections, and operates the Center for Berlin Studies in Ribbeck-House.

[4] Debate about a centralised location continued, and in 2018, Blücherplatz was slated as the site for a new central library building.

The existing America Memorial Library, which is listed as a historic monument, will have to remain part of the new ensemble.