Directed by Ernest Lheureux, a pupil of Theodore Labrouste, construction of the Chartière and Valette buildings was undertaken between 1881 and 1884.

The transformation of Santa Barbara library is part of the U3M (Universities for the Third Millennium) plan, a program for development of higher education and research in the Ile-de-France.

In February 2008, the team settled permanently in the premises of the College Sainte-Barbe located at 4 rue Valette (Paris 5), renovated by the architect Antoine Stinco.

Situated in the immediate vicinity of the Sainte-Geneviève and Cujas libraries, Sainte-Barbe offers everyone open access to collections on law, economics, social sciences, languages, literature and arts.

Its collections, strongly oriented to help students succeed in the beginning of the course, are complementary to those of its illustrious neighbors.