Tsinghua Xue Tang was founded in 1911.

When Tsinghua Xue Tang was renamed Tsinghua College in 1912, a small-scale “Tsinghua Library Room” was formally established.

The stand-alone library building (now the east section of the Old Library) was completed in March 1919. It was designed by the American architect, Henry Murphy. Upon moving into the new building, it was named Tsinghua College Library. It was one of the first four main buildings of the university.