1899–1902 Erection of the building in the late-Renaissance style for the purposes of the Kaiser Wilhelm Bibliothek – after the design of the German architect Carl Hinckeldeyn.
1902–1919 Successive development of the German book collection, final organization and successful implementation of the card catalogue (alphabetical and subject catalogues) based on the scheme devised by Otto Hartwig.
Seizure of the collection of the Kaiser Wilhelm Bibliothek by new Polish authorities (250,000 volumes) and the beginning of Polonization of the collections in view of its usefulness for the purposes of the newly established Polish university in Poznań.
Development of the collections prompted by gifts and donations from private persons, scientific and research institutions from Poland and abroad and from representatives of diplomatic corps and governments of European countries.
1927 OAll-Polish deposit copy granted to the Library.
1939 The collections amount to 500,000 volumes.
1941–1945 The Library operates as the Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek.
1945 War damages to the library result in the destruction of 20 per cent of the building and 10 per cent of the collection.
The Library opens as the University Library of the re-opened University.
About 750,000 items make addition to the Library’s holdings as the result of consolidation of abandoned and dispersed book collections.
New additions to special collection division, mainly old books, maps and atlases.
1952 New extension built to the already existing building of the Library.
1958 First number of the „Biuletynu Biblioteki Głównej UAM” published.
1960 First number of the Library’s annual publication Biblioteka published.
1961 Establishment of a uniform A.Mickiewicz University library network comprising the Main Library and faculty libraries.
1968 Ciążeń palace, a late-baroque structure outside Poznan, assigned to the Library. The palace houses the Masonic collection of the Library.
1981 Liquidation of the separate collection of prohibity, i.e. publications banned from being universally accessible to users, and incorporation of the collection into the general collection.
The return to the traditional name Biblioteka Uniwersytecka [University Library] in place of the previously used Biblioteka Główna UAM [Main Library of A. Mickiewicz University].
1992 New stackroom added.
1994–1999
Work on automation of the Library commences. Access to the Internet made available to the Library.
The Library joins the Poznań Foundation of Scientific Libraries. Horizon -Library integrated system becomes effective.
Works on the traditional card catalogue terminates, creation of the on-line computer catalogue.
1999 New modern Student Library with open access to shelves opens. The Library joins the all-Polish project of the National Library Resources to preserve documents of particular value for the national heritage.
2001 New organization of reading rooms according to subjects supported by the relevant collections.
2002 A hundred anniversary of the building of the University Library.
The Library receives a medal Bibliotheca Magna Perennisque awarded by the Polish Librarians’ Association and a honorary award for excellent services “Dobre bo polskie”, and the Hipolit statuette.
2004 Digitization of the collections of the Library for the Wielkopolska Biblioteka Cyfrowa (Digital Library of Wielkopolska).
2005 First million volumes incorporated into the on-line catalogue (new acquisitions and those titles from the older collections that underwent retrospective conversion.
Fully-fledged co-operation with the Library and NUKAT (National Union Central Catalogue) in relation to headings formation and bibliographic records.
2006 Remote access to subscribed electronic resources for University staff and students made available via the electronic borrower’s ticket.
Major refurbishment in the main reading room and the historic part of the Library completed successfully and our new modern lift put into service.
2007 Library annual peer-reviewed publication Biblioteka on the list of scored journals published by the Ministry of Education.
Refurbishment in the historic interiors of the main reading room, Modern Languages Reading Room and the special reading room for scholars.
Implementation of the educational multimedia programme for first year students ”First Library Training Session” complemented with a test. Termination of the traditional system of training.
Discovery of the oldest Polish opera Heca, albo polowanie na zająca in the holdings of the Library followed by its critical evaluation.
2008 The library launches an innovative Research and Catalogue Information Center.
The library launches a web-based University Library bookshop.
2009 The development of the AMU institutional repository AMUR and its contents made available for registered users.
The library launches a new library support helpline and research and catalogue information centre – Ask a librarian – a platform for remote library services and communication between users and library staff.
2010 Complete renovation of the main lobby, the catalogue room and the Periodicals Reading Room, financed from EU funds within the AMU university buildings revitalization project.
2011 Celebrations of the 400th hundred academic traditions in Poznań at the University Library
2012/2013 Biblioteka Uniwersytecka becomes a truly virtual information gateway with its Internet content passed through access to electronic resources and fully automated library services. The traditional card catalogue made available online: DIGIT CARDS; the introduction of access to the Summon content – a metasearch engine where users and visitors can search a number of other search engines, data-sources, library content, etc.
2013 The general overhaul of the Library’s Loans Department
The introduction of the Educational Centre of the University Library – a modern e-learning educational platform that offers a pre-loaded library course and uses state of art technology focusing on delivering information between the teacher and students.
2014 The common areas of the library offer multiple options as a relaxing space for the users, including a chill room that people can use to relax in, use as a meeting place for social gatherings and discussion – ” BU-kawka” (formerly the German Reading Room)
The introduction of the novel iPAK internet platform that enables students and staff members of the University to sign in to the Library, activate or renew their library accounts with electronic banking services available.
2015 The UAM PRESSto platform – an e-journal platform offering electronic versions of research journals launched.
2016 The Preparation and Transfer of 460,000 volumes of the Masonic collection from an off-site storage facility at Ciążeń Palace to stacks in Poznań.
Poznań University Library granted the status of a National Library Resources library
Creation of the NOVA Reading Room (comics, newspapers and periodicals)
2017 The inception of the implementation phase of the international ORCID identification system for the AMU-based authors
2018 Creation of the Comics and Graphic Narratives Research Unit
2019 Creation of the Regional Library Resources Unit