It was built in the 1890s by the sugar magnate Sir Henry Tate and is a Grade II listed building.

An Act of Parliament in 1806 "stipulated that 'no Buildings or Erections above the Surface of the Earth' should be erected upon Rush Common within 150 feet of the London to Croydon Turnpike Road (now Brixton Road and Hill)".

[1] In 1891–3, Sir Henry Tate built the library at a cost of £15,000, and it was opened by the Prince of Wales on 4 March 1893.

[3] The theatre next to the library was destroyed by bombing in 1940, allowing the nearby cinema to expand into its place.

[6] The library also offers free digital skills training[7] and hosts live music performances[8] and other events.