Umeå University Library is one of the seven libraries in Sweden that by law is directly supplied by printers in Sweden with one copy of every book printed ("pliktbibliotek").

[2] It gradually expanded to supply services for research and for university education.

A new main library building on the university campus was inaugurated in 1968.

There are subsidiary libraries at the Norrland's University Hospital, at the Umeå Arts Campus and in Örnsköldsvik.

The University Library has over the years received several donations, among others from the historian Nils Ahnlund, language professor Björn Collinder, political economist Eli Heckscher and journalist/writer Sigrid Kahle.