In 1945 about 3000 volumes were taken over from the Higher Schools to form the nucleus of the present library. Shortly thereafter 3000 volumes comprising nearly the entire contents of the Government Civil Secretariat library which included an invaluable collection of works on the Sudan and Africa were presented to the University by the late Sir Douglas Newbold, then Civil Secretary of the Sudan

The library continued to benefit from donations by various sources and the number of volumes now exceeds one million. The University Library consists of (a) the main Library which mainly serves the faculties of Science, Arts, and Economics, (b) the Engineering Library, (c) the Law Library, (d) the Medical Sciences Library, (e) the Education Library, and (f) Shambat Library for Agricultural Sciences

These libraries are located in the faculties they serve but they are under the jurisdiction of the Library Committee. In addition, the Sudan Library which is specialised in Sudanese Studies, occupies a separate building in Gamhoria Street. The Library and constituent branches subscribe to more than 400 journals and periodicals.

A number of private libraries containing rare and valuable books and manuscripts were donated to the university library by distinguished personalities such as Sayed Muhammad Salih ash-Shingiti, Professor at-Tigani El-Mahi, Izz eldeen Elmahdi, Mohammed Abd Elgwaad, Mohammed Ali Hakim, Salah El deen Elmileek, Ali Elmak, Khalid Adam Ibn Elkhiat,  Ali Adam Ibn Elkhiat, Abd Elrahman Elhadari, Makawi Sulieman Akrat, Mohammed  Ahmad abu Rnnat, Kamil Atinger, Mohammed Ali Abd Elrahman Hamad, M.F.L.Macadam, Hamid Eltag Hamid Elsafi, Adam Mohammed Ali Elryiad, Abd Elsameei Omer, Abd Alla Mohammed Ahmad  Awad, Abass Ibrahim Mohammed Ali, Osman Ali Shaheen, Suad Ibrahim Abdu, Khalid Elkid,Basheer Ramli, Khidr Hamad.

The main University Library is run by a High Library Committee. The Committee is personally headed by the deputy vice Chancellor of the University of Khartoum. The University Librarian, The convenor of the committee, is directly responsible to the vice Chancellor to look after the benefit of the university Library with its different branches. Representatives of the above mentioned faculties in addition to some other bodies of the university are members of the Library Committee

The Library Service is rendered for the academic members of staff at the university, Higher degrees (PH. D, M. A, Diploma etc) students, The under graduate students. Some of those are those are from other universities.

The Library had already good relations with cultural institutions such as The British Council. We are hoping to build strong relations with other bodies such as The American Congress Library. The Library receives every now and then some publications from The United Nations and its different departments. We very much appreciate such relations and look forward towards strengthening them.