English: The Library was established in the year 1829 A. D. during the reign of His Highness Sree Swathi Thirunal Maharaja of Travancore. The work of starting and organising the Library was entrusted to Col. Edward Cadogan, then the British Resident who was the grand son of Sir Hans Sloane, the founder of the British Museum. Col. Cadogan was the first president of the Trivandrum Public Library committee, which managed the affairs of the Library. At that time, only a privileged class who were called to attend the Durbar of His Highness the Maharaja was allowed admission to the Library. The Library was then known as "Trivandrum People's Library".

Other landmarks in the history of library are:

1898 AD - The assets of Trivandrum People's Library were transferred to the administrative control of Government and was opened to the public. 1900 AD - His Highness Sree Moolam Thirunal constructed the present building for housing the library, which is an architectural beauty in the Gothic style, in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. 1938 AD - The administration of the Trivandrum Public Library was handed over to University of Travancore (now University of Kerala). 1948 - The State Government was directed to take over the administration of the Library from the University by a resolution of the State Legislature. 1958 - The Library was declared as the 'State Central Library' of Kerala. 1988 - The library was given the status of a minor department under the administrative control of Higher Education Department of Government of Kerala. 2005 - A New Heritage Model building was constructed within the campus for Children's Library. The statue graceing the passers by from the podium in front of the library is that of the powerful Malayalam poet Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer (1877-1949) also known as Ulloor , who was also noted historian. Ulloor was one of the famous triumvirate poets of Kerala in the first half of the 20th century.

He was a poet who attempted to revive the classical heritage of Malayalam poetry.He was born at the Thamarassery Illam at Perunna, Changanassery. Romanticism flourished with the appearance of the great trio Kumaran Asan, Ulloor and Vallathol Narayana Menon.He started his work as a government servant who finally became the Chief Secretary to the Travancore Government.

His early works show the influence of Sanskrit words and usages. In Premasangeetham the poet glorifies the concept of love. One of his masterpieces Premasangeetham (literally 'song of love') is a poem by Ulloor which compiled the history of Malayalam literature for the first time.He says that love is the only religion in the world, and describes the rhythmic harmony between man and nature. The poem concludes in a highly philosophical note - ' You, me and the Paramathma (the Almighty) are one and the same '.

Ulloor published Umakeralam , a Mahakavyam in 1914. His best works include Pingala , Karnabhooshanam , Bhakthideepika and Chithrassala . His long poem-mahaakaavya-named Umaakeralam (1914) has as its theme, a particular phase in Kerala's history. The poem deals with the politics related to the monarchical power of Travancore in the 17th century. Ulloor was also an erudite scholar and a historian which can be seen from very famous work Kerala Saahitya Charitham (History of the Literature of Kerala), which consists of five volumes . Among his shorter narrative poems, Pingala and Karnabhooshanam are important. He contributed much to the Malayalam language as well as to the Malayalam literature both in prose and poetry.