The Karamzin Public Library in Simbirsk was founded in honor of the famous historian N. M. Karamzin and opened to visitors on April 18, 1848. It was located in three rooms of the left wing of the Noble Assembly building.

The library's rules allowed anyone to enter without prior tickets, except for those in inappropriate appearance and clothing. Among the visitors were representatives of various classes: nobles, merchants, teachers, officials, peasants, military personnel, clergy, and lawyers. Library use was free, but books were issued for home use with a deposit of 5 rubles.

The library experienced periods of flourishing in the 1870s and 1880s, when the number of its readers reached 900 to 1,100 people per year, and the number of books read varied from 30,000 to 45,000. During this time, over 25,000 visits to the reading room were recorded annually. By 1878, the library had already accumulated 13,000 books.

The music department, opened in 1870, was particularly popular.

The library was managed by a committee of 12 members, elected at annual celebrations on the birthday of N. M. Karamzin, December 1. The committee addressed all matters concerning the library, including collection development and reader services, as well as managing economic and financial activities.

The first chairman of the committee was Pyotr Mikhailovich Yazykov, the elder brother of the poet Nikolai Yazykov.

The history of the Karamzin Public Library was diverse, but P. N. Stolpyansky noted it as a "joyful exception" among other provincial libraries.