The San José State University Library can trace its origins to the early days of the California State Normal School in the 1860s. The academic library has served students in San José for over a century. The records chronicle the library from its roots as a Normal School library to the university's preparations for the creation of a joint library with the main branch of the San José public library in 2003.

The material in this series contains administrative files, reports, questionnaires, and library statistics. Also included are files pertaining to the St. John Dixon case. Dixon was one of three students expelled from Alabama State University after participating in a sit-in at a white lunch counter. He applied for admission to San José State and was initially denied. President Wahlquist (1952-1964) and advocates for Dixon later managed to obtain the paperwork for Dixon and allow him admission to San José State College.