Patna University was established in the year 1917 and it functioned as affiliating and examining body for over 30 years. On January 2, 1952 it was converted into a purely teaching -cum-residential University with the territorial jurisdiction over Metropolitan Patna. It is one of the oldest Universities in the Country. The Patna University has 31 postgraduate departments in the faculties of Science, Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, Commerce, Law and 10 constituent colleges
The Central Library is catering to the needs of the students and teachers, research scholars etc. and is located in the centre of the campus. The Library has been connected to internet and steps are being taken to computerize the working. The University Central Library is rendering its services to the teachers, students and researchers. For students it is opened for 24 hours. The number of various volumes at present is over 4, 00, 000 besides 87 periodicals and 50,000 back journals. It has more than 5000 valuable old manuscripts which are very rare and are of much use to the research scholars. The Library is working to establish e-resource centre, e-journal facilities and to transform into Digital Library.