Dayal Singh Library was established in 1908 in accordance with the will of Shiri Dayal Singh Ji Majithia, a man of great vision and love for knowledge. He was born in 1848 and amassed a sizeable fortune in his lifetime. Before his death though, he donated all of his wealth in the form of three trusts with the purpose of furthering education.

The library was originally opened at residence of Dayal Singh as a reading room and housed his personal collection of one thousand books. In 1928 it was shifted to its current location on Nisbat Road and became a dependable source of books for the citizens of the city.

During the partition of 1947 it suffered a great catastrophe. A large number of books and furniture were damaged. As a result of the migration of its trustees, the library closed down. After 12 years, in 1964 it was revived under the control of the Evacuee Trust Property Board.

The library enjoys a membership of more than six thousand, out of which, nearly one thousand are lifetime members. Approximately 70 to 100 regular members visit the library daily. Besides them, 150 to 200 people come in every day to read. A large number of these are students who come to the institution for research and study.

Dayal Singh Library houses more than 172,000 books and 10,000 periodicals. The uniqueness of the establishment, however, lies in its collection of newspapers. The library has carefully preserved every national paper since 1964 and several periodicals dating back to 1927, including the first editions of Nawai Waqt. It currently subscribes to 12 newspapers and 55 journals. Another 129 magazines are sent complimentary. The library also boasts 111 publications in its name. A children’s section serves the 432 regular child members. Approximately 10,888 books have been acquired for this purpose alongside numerous toys and games.