'Roczniki Biblioteczne' was established in 1956 as „an organ of higher school libraries”. The institution which suggested setting this journal up was the Libraries Committee of the Main Council of the Higher Education. Antoni Knot (1904–1982) was a founder and a first editor-in-chief of this periodical. He was at that time a director of the Wrocław University Library. Antoni Knot was very distinguished and dynamic organizer of scientific life in Wrocław and was a co-originator of a training centre of librarians at the Wrocław University.

Ksawery Świerkowski (1897–1979) and Walery Taborski were also members of the first editorial staff. In general it consisted of great librarians from scientific libraries, who were also active as library science specialists. These were: Aleksander Birkenmajer (1890–1967), Jan Baumgart (1904–1989), Marian Des Loges (1898–1957), Helena Kozerska, Władysław Skoczylas (1904–1981) and Helena Więckowska (1897–1984).

Antoni Knot was an editor-in-chief of 'Roczniki Biblioteczne' until 1980. Kazimiera Maleczyńska performed this function in the years 1981–1996. Since 1997 Anna Żbikowska-Migoń has been a chief editor of the periodical. For many years Aleksandra Mendykowa (1926–2000) – a very distinguished and qualified person – acted a secretary.

Since its beginnings the editorial section has been located in the Institute of Information and Library Science of the Wrocław University (former: the Department of Library Science) and connected with this Institute personally.

The composition of the editorial committee has changed many times, but the editorial committee has always consisted of important persons: persons from management of Polish research libraries, practising librarians, managing to combine professional activities and creative research work, and persons connected with academic library science.

The scope of 'Roczniki Biblioteczne' was and is very wide – in this respect it may be compared only with 'Rocznik Biblioteki Narodowej' (The National Library Annual).

Since 'Roczniki Biblioteczne' came into existence it has ceaselessly published articles on library science, bibliology, information science, especially on history of book and libraries.