The Department of Library and Information Science, Andhra University had its origin in 1935 when the Senate sanctioned a summer school as well as a regular school of librarianship.  Dr. M.O.Thomas, M.A., B.D., Ph.D., Dip. L.S. (London), F.L.A. organized these courses.  According to him the courses were designed to suit the requirements to both the higher and the lower orders of librarianship and they led either to a Graduate University Diploma or a certificate of proficiency course was the first of its kind conducted in our country. However, it appears the course had a checkered progress after 1938 when both Dr. M.O.Thomas and Sri. C.G.Viswanathan left the University, During Second World War the University was shifted to Guntur.  The courses were revived in 1948, and C.L.Sc. and D.L.Sc. courses were conducted till 1958.

In 1961 Prof. Koneru Ramakrishna Rao took charge as Chief Librarian and Head, Department of Library Science, He bought with him a rich and varied experience of Library Science Education and Library Services from Western Countries.  The organization of the Department on a regular basis and modernization of the curriculum were initiated by Prof. K.Ramakrishna Rao.  He took steps to constitute the Board of Studies in Library Science and thus facilitated the constant revision and updating of the curriculum.  As part of the programme to strengthen the Department, a full-time Lecturer post was created and Sri. K.Siva Reddy was appointed.  Sri. K.Venkatratnam, Sri. P.Vasudeva Rao, Sri. M.Satyanarayana were associated with the teaching programme as part-time Lecturers for D.L.Sc.  In compliance with the U.G.C. recommendations, the C.L.Sc. course was discontinued in 1962.  In the year 1968 the Department attained the status of a full-fledged Teaching Department.  Under the leadership of Prof. K.Siva Reddy it grew from strength to strength.  Consequently the practice of employing Library staff as part-time teachers was given up.  The Diploma course was redesigned as Bachelor of Library and Information Science (1979).  These changes indicate the change and modernization of the curriculum.  In 1979-80, the Master of Library and Information Science programme was started in response to the felt need of the students of this department. 

The Department has been providing facilities for the pursuit of Research Studies leading to the award of Doctor of Philosophy since 1966 for part-time while fulltime research admissions took place from 1980-81. M.Phil course, both full time and part time have been in offer since 1990.