October, 1955: The Chinese Academy of Sciences (short for CAS) decided to establish ” the Library of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou Branch” in Lanzhou. Following the decision, a preparatory working group formed to establish Lanzhou Branch Library. July, 1956 witnessed the opening of the Library.

February, 1957: It was renamed to “the Library of the Northwest Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, under the direct leadership of the Northwest Branch of CAS.

February, 1959: It was renamed to “the Library of Lanzhou Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,” due to the name change of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Northwest Branch.

December, 1962: The Library of Lanzhou Branch of CASestablished its own Xi’an Branch Library.

January, 1963: Due to the renaming of “the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou Branch”, the name of “the Library of the Northwest Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences” was reused.

June, 1966: Xi’an Branch Library was removed.

September, 1970: “The Library of the Northwest Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences” mainly provided services for local development under the leadership of both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Department Science and Technology of Gansu Province. It was then renamed to “the Library of Gansu Province of the Chinese Academy of Sciences”.

October, 1973: “The Library of Gansu Province of the Chinese Academy of Sciences” was renamed to “Lanzhou Library of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.”

May, 1978: Lanzhou Library of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was upgraded to be the same level as institute, directly led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. August, 1987: It was renamed to” Lanzhou Documentation and Information Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences” while the name of “Lanzhou Library of the Chinese Academy of Sciences” remained in use.

September, 1997: To adapt to the request of structural adjustment and category positioning, it was renamed to “the Scientific Information Center for Resources and Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences” while the name “Lanzhou Library of the Chinese Academy of Sciences” remained in use.

October, 2002: The Chinese Academy of Sciences collaborated with the government of Gansu Province to establish “the Science and Technology Library of Gansu Province” based on the Library.

March 18, 2006: According to the decision of the reform of the documentation and informationsystem of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it was renamed to “Lanzhou Branch Library of National Science Library of the Chinese Academy of Sciences”, and the name “the Scientific Information Center for Resources and Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences” is kept for use until the new name is approved.