The volumes were given to the Madras Government after the library of Hailey Bury College in England, where Indian citizens are taught, surpassed its storage capacity. The Madras Museum received them from the government. Before 1890, the British Museum Library housed the Madras Museum's books in a safe location.As the then governor of Madras, Lord Connemara thought that a public library was needed, he lay the foundation stone on March 22 in 1890 to accomplish this goal.The Connemara Public Library was officially opened on December 5th, 1896. The library is named for Lord Connemara, whose efforts led to its establishment, as is obvious from the name.Only in 1929, when a librarian was hired, was the Connemara Library formally established as an entity. The library debuted in 1930, and it offered both loan and home delivery services. The Tamil Nadu Public Libraries Act, 1948 designated it as a state-centered library in 1950, and the United Nations officially designated it as a depository center in 1955.