The Library was established in 1969 which was then known as Penang Universiti located at Malayan Teachers' College, Gelugor, Penang Island. The library was moved to the temporary building in Minden in 1971 and occupied the new building which is considered as the Main Library in 1979. The second building was completed in 1994. On the 10th of December 2004, the Main Library was named Perpustakaan Hamzah Sendut (Hamzah Sendut Library) to honor the First Vice Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia, the late Tan Sri Hamzah Sendut.