The University Library of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn was established on 1 September 1999 as a result of a merger of the Library of the Agricultural-Technical Academy (founded in 1951) with the Library of the Higher School of Pedagogy (founded in 1974). The University Library became the largest academic library in the north-eastern region of Poland, with its resources at the moment of merging amounting to 816,841 volumes/items. All UWM employees and students are also entitled to use the collection of the “Hosianum” Higher Seminary of the Warmian Metropolis at ul. Kardynała Hozjusza 15, where the Faculty of the Theology of the University is located.

In October 2007, a modern library building was opened (with a total area of 19,423 m2), constructed in the Kortowo II university campus. The new library building made it possible to gather scattered collections in one place and to improve the quality of the services offered. The library has been equipped with devices enabling digitalization of its resources, a vacuum fumigation chamber (for disinfection of library collections and archival records) and a system for the electronic protection of the resources.

In the premises of the library, apart from the traditional lending service, the resources have been made available in the Teaching Collection and modern open-access reading rooms. An important element of the library space are the rooms used for teaching activities, individual work booths and a large number of places intended for self-study. The library offers its users additional services and space for comfortable study and meeting arrangements, furnished with movable furniture, i.e. soft armchairs, lamps, pouffes as well as desktop computers and wireless Internet service.

The UWM University Library offers readers:

• 720 reading places,
• 159 computer workstations,
• 8 rooms for individual work ,
• 10 workplaces for people with disabilities,
• 4 lecture rooms (150 seats in total),
• a conference room for 350 persons,
• 3 generally available scanners,
• 3 self-borrowing devices (Self-checks),
• a 24-hour book dropbox,
• snack and hot beverage vending machines.