The library was founded in 1913 by judge and historian Juan Álvarez (1878–1954), who in 1909 addressed mayor Isidro Quiroga: "In this city of 200,000 inhabitants there is not a single public library that is capable of fulfilling with dignity the role assigned to such establishments."

At the time the Head of the La Plata University, Joaquín V. González, stated in a lecture what was to be the motto of the library, "To know is to love, to ignore is to hate.

On that same year a group of people, El Círculo de la Biblioteca was formed, with the purpose of organizing concerts, lectures, and art exhibitions and meetings.

The continuous growth of the library required several reforms, until the building had to be completely restored and remodeled.

The Biblioteca Argentina is an official Depository Library (DL-138) of the United Nations System (DEPOLIB) since April 1957.