It was established in June 1996 and officially opened on July 1, 1996, known only as the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Library, the home library of the 1st batch of undergraduate students. It occupied Room No. 2 (the 1st room to the east) of the then newly opened Ladies Residence Hall of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), with only 1 shelf for the Reserve and Filipiniana Section, while the Reference and Circulation materials were placed inside built-in lockers of the room.

The CAS Library was enough to cater to the 1st batch of 85 students, 9 full-time faculty, 1 part-time faculty and 6 administrative staff or a total of one, a hundred immediate users who just visited the library from time to time without really staying, their main business was only to borrow, return, and photocopy materials. Oftentimes, users in thirst of fresh information would scan the dailies which were nearly a history since it that arrived in the afternoon as the newspaper man got them from the airport and delivered them to the library on board a bicycle. Inside the library also were 1 table and 4 chairs, very close to the shelf and lockers on both sides, just good enough for browsing in a very short time.

In the 2nd semester of academic year 1996-1997, the CAS Library moved to the western part of Bago Oshiro, the U.P. in Mindanao Campus. Finding a new haven at the 2nd Level, Room No. 203-the northernmost part of the newly renovated CAS Building (an abandoned building of the University of Southeastern Philipppines), the area was a bit bigger than the first one at the PCA. The library then conducted its very first actual library orientation with the pioneering batch of the undergraduates on November 19, 20, 21 & 22, 1996.

In March 1998, the CAS Library transferred again, to the Annex of the same level, occupying the southern part of the CAS Building. This time a much bigger space was allocated which was twice than that in the second location at Room No.203. Despite the bigger space, the Library still was a small place for quiet study and research since the population also soared.

With the creation of the College of Science and Mathematics, and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences as approved by the Board of Regents, the library headed by the dynamic University Librarian, Dr. Briccio M. Merced, Jr. together with the staff lobbied for the establishment of the three college libraries based on the organizational configuration of U.P. in Mindanao in April of 1998. So that, organically, the CAS Library became two: the College of Science and Mathematics Library and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Library though they were still in one physical location.

April 2000 was the time the Library expanded to at least 200 sq.m. of area, paving the way for the Office of the Head Librarian, Technical Service, Information Technology Office, Educational Media Center and a separate section for the General Reference, Serials, Filipiniana, and other Special Collections. In the same year, sometime in September, the Vertical File Collection, an important component in the materials for use by the library users was developed. Compiled were subjects along the major fields of concentration offered by the College.

Not until October 2000 that the two college libraries had their own charging counter, in the same one location, signaling the initial step of separation. Each counter was manned by a designated Librarian-in-charge.

Finally, in December 2003 the separation of the two college libraries was realized. The College of Science and Mathematics Library remained at its location and College of Humanities and Social Sciences Library moved out to its new location at the Administration Building.