Since its establishment in 1695, the monasteries of the Lebanese Maronite Order (OLM) were a place of prayer and studies with each holding its own library. In the late 19th century, some monasteries were dedicated to being seminaries for the teaching of theology and philosophy with equipped libraries.
In 1938, the Order decided to open a university, the first national university in Lebanon. In 1950, the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) was opened in which the teaching of theology, philosophy, letters and canon law was delivered. With the progression and development of the University to encompass various majors, the Library began to develop its collection with books and journals in numerous fields of study.
By the 1980s and 1990s, USEK Library went through a transformation when it began receiving donations that enriched the collection. Then in the 2000s, new departments were established; a revamping of the look of the Library was carried out; electronic collections were introduced with subscriptions to the collections of major publishers. As a result, USEK Library could fulfil its mission to support the research, teaching, and learning needs of the University community by providing comprehensive collections, services, facilities, and expertise.
On 2008, USEK Library progressed from an academic library to a research library. More focus was placed on the acquisition and care of special collections, manuscripts, and archives especially in the subjects of Lebanese heritage and history.