The establishment of the institution can be traced to the realization that Dehradun, the premier city of the new state of Uttarakhand, lacks a good library.

The library is planned to be developed as:

• A place serving the reading needs of an enlightened and books loving general public.
• an important resource for the scholars and researchers in the social science and humanities.
• a one-stop repository of material on society, economics, history, culture, ethnography, literature, folklore and polity in the Himalayan area of Indi, especially Uttarakhand.

The library collection is planned to include books, journals, documents, official and other reports, microfilms, in social sciences viz., sociology, anthropology, literature etc. CDs/DVDs, films and audio materials on the Himalayas as also being acquired, special collection are being built in the following areas:

• Books written by authors living in Uttarakhand.
• Books written by authors hailing from Uttarakhand
• Books and other materials on major towns of Uttarakhand e.g. Dehradun and the Doon Valley, Mussoorie, Nainital, Almora, Pauri, Tehri, Ranikhet Etc.
• Rare and out of print books on Uttarakhand.

The main reading room is open to members on all working days from 10AM to 5.00PM, while another one is open to the public from 8AM to 8PM, seven days a week, and provides access to popular English and Hindi newspaper and magazines.

A special feature planned for the library will be to make it a repository for all reports and publications brought out by the Uttarakhand government and its various departments and offices. In addition, reports and publications from other Himalayan states will also be procured.

In addition, the library has been conceived as something more than a mere repository of books. It is planned to make it a living institution by organizing talks, discussions, presentations, seminars and exhibitions accessible to the general public.