The Institute of Information Studies of the Jagiellonian University was created in 1996 as the Institute of Library and Information Science within the Faculty of Management and Social Communication of the Jagiellonian University. It was created on the basis of previously existing (since 1974) smaller units offering studies and conducting research in the field of library and information science. In 2002 its name was changed to Institute of Information and Library Science. The evolution of the research and teaching profile was reflected in the adoption of the current name in 2019.