The Air Force Library was initially established on 2 March 1951 with very limited facilities. Subsequently, it was affiliated with the Technical Library established on 3 March 1993 at Aircraft Preservation and Storage Unit at Sri Lanka Air Force Base Ratmalana. The technical library progressed gradually and developed as a facilitator to provide the personnel of the Air Force an opportunity to enhance their knowledge on aviation and other related fields. 

However, with the continuous modernization of the Sri Lanka Air Force the need for a fully fledged research library for its personnel became necessary. The background being such on the initiative and guidance of the present Commander Air Marshal HD Abeywickrama, the Technical Library developed into a comprehensive Aviation Research Reference Library and was declared open by the Commander on 07th March 2013 at the Sri Lanka Air Force Museum Ratmalana.

The facilities available at the library which includes a system wherein data can be obtained through a server installed at the library provides an opportunity for any aviation enthusiast or person to research on the field of aviation and related other fields. The library also provides a plethora of invaluable references to carry out research about aviation and aviation related fields. The uniqueness of the library is that the facility is not restricted to Air Force personnel only and the facility can be utilized by students of universities, technical colleges and schools thereby making it the ‘knowledge hub’ for aviation enthusiasts.