The library first opened back in 1885 when the library of České Budějovice association was first opened in České Budějovice. Since then, it has become the largest library in the South Bohemia Region and one of the largest in the Czech Republic. Its collection includes more than 1.4 million books, magazines, maps, audio records, videos and other documents. Each year it has about 270,000 visitors who borrow around 800,000 documents. It has approximately 18,500 registered members.

The library and its extensive collection strive to accommodate the scientific community and students as well as adults and children seeking entertainment and learning. Documents from many disciplines are available.

The library on Lidická Street offers several specialized departments. There are spacious study areas and visitors can choose from a large collection of books, newspapers, magazines and audio-visual documents. There are documents from many scientific disciplines. The library collects and makes available documents tracing the history of the South Bohemia region. Services for the blind and visually impaired are provided. In the library at Na Sadech, there is a department where adults and children can choose from different genres of literature, such as professional literature, magazines and poetry. The library also offers its services at four other locations around town. Online services, access to Czech and foreign databases and Wi-Fi connection are all readily available.

The library also looks after historical book collections located in the former Cistercian monastery in Zlatá Koruna. Presently, there are more than 32,000 volumes and books printed before 1801, as well as 321 incunabula and 520 manuscripts.

For several years, the library has been transferring its collections into digital form. Currently, it is the fifth largest digital library in the country. It contains over 3 million pages of documents, including old books, magazines and maps. Most titles are available from your home at http://archiv.cbvk.cz.

Another activity of the library is publishing. Since 2005, nine books have been published in the regional edition series and more are being prepared. On the internet you can access a unique electronic book entitled Kohoutí kříž [Rooster's Cross] dedicated to Šumava literature.

The South Bohemian Research Library also provides its services to other libraries. It provides methodological guidance to libraries throughout the České Budějovice Region and through authorized libraries throughout the South Bohemia Region. It also creates an exchange fund and provides exchangeable sets of books to 140 libraries in the region, and serves as a training centre for librarians from the South Bohemia Region.