The Cambridge University Library was founded in the early 15th century, and its modern building was constructed in 1934 according to the design of architect George Gilbert Scott. The library holds about eight million sources, including books, periodicals, manuscripts, maps, drawings, scores, and recordings. Among them are about 80 thousand materials in the Russian language. The collection of Russian books, journals, and visual materials was gathered by Catherine Cook, a research fellow at Cambridge University and a renowned expert on Soviet architecture and design. This collection includes about 1200 volumes of books, among which are rare editions from the early 20th century and the first post-revolutionary decade, as well as children's books. Cook's collection also contains banknotes, lottery and membership tickets, matchbox labels, food packaging, and other everyday items of interest from a design perspective.

The library's special collections house the oldest and most valuable materials, such as manuscripts, engravings, and other artifacts, including music recordings. These collections are intended for research and educational purposes, and the library strives to make them accessible to a wide audience, including through electronic forms, an electronic library, and virtual exhibitions.