Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) officially took over Perpustakaan Za’ba from Institut Perguruan Sultan Idris (IPSI) on 1st January 1998. The library, which was a heritage of the Sultan Idris Training College (SITC), started with two rooms, Bilik Khir and Bilik Dussek, known as the Bilek Bachaan on the first floor of the Bangunan Suluh Budiman.

With the change of name to Maktab Perguruan Sultan Idris (MPSI) in 1957, a library building known as Khutub Khanah MPSI was erected at the rear of Bangunan Suluh Budiman, to the right of the dining hall building. As the need for library resources grew alongside the increasing number of students, Khutub Khanah MPSI moved to the Sekolah Datuk Abdul Razak’s dining hall in 1985.

The library continued its services when the institution was upgraded to Institut Perguruan Sultan Idris (IPSI) in 1987 and was named Perpustakaan IPSI. It was later renamed Perpustakaan Za’ba in conjunction with the 75th Anniversary Celebration of SITC/MPSI/IPSI in 1994. In September 1996, Perpustakaan Za’ba relocated back to Bangunan Suluh Budiman, this time occupying the entire first floor.

Since 1998, the university has spent RM20 million to upgrade and update its collection of library materials. This amount excludes furniture, library security systems, and other related equipment. The number of staff also increased from 4 in early 1998 to 59 in 2005; of that number, 17 were professional staff trained in librarianship.

In 1999, the university approved the construction of a new building with 13,063 square metres of floor space. The building, equipped with lifts for users, was completed by the end of 2003. Facilities include an exhibition area, bookshop, cyber café, 24-hour reading room, baggage area, discussion rooms, research rooms, an auditorium, an IT training room, a meeting room, a viewing room, a conservation and printing room, and a surau. Sections for monograph collections, serials, and multimedia were also incorporated.

To enhance its services, the building is equipped with the latest Information and Communications Technology (ICT) facilities and linked to UPSINet. The acquisition of a world-class Integrated Library Management System was completed by the end of 2002. It is hoped that these facilities will serve as a catalyst for teaching, learning, research activities, and publications within the university.a