The Governor’s House Library was created initially by the St. Augustine Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission, which later became the Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board. Its library grew as an academic foundation for the interpretational work of the HSAPB. Information about how houses were constructed historically, how they were furnished, who lived in them, and the daily work and recreation in colonial times were all subjects of research for the HSAPB staff. The collection they developed included books, photographs, maps, and archival documents. The library’s collection quickly grew to include a wide variety of artifacts, from tools to textiles, artwork to furniture, and everything in between.

The State abolished the HSAPB in 1997, and the City of St. Augustine assumed control of the historic properties. For over ten years, the research library in Governor’s House (also known as Government House) was operated by the City of St. Augustine Department of Historic Preservation and Heritage Tourism. In 2010 the State once again took over stewardship, and the management of the historic properties, including Governor’s House and its library, became the responsibility of the University of Florida Historic St. Augustine, Inc.