The library of Machico was established in 1964 by initiative of Lieutenant-colonel João Carlos de Sousa, at the time, the President of the town hall since he aimed at spreading cultural issues. This matter was presented to the Director of the Gulbenkian Foundation who immediately “promised to help the cause of establishing a library in Machico but with the condition of the city town hall been held responsible for the area and employees”. Reckoning upon the foundation’s support in what relates to books and furniture, the Lord Mayor suggested the creation of it on the ground-floor of the town hall, where the Social Services were operating. However, the Town Hall could not discharge an employee to work in the library, and therefore a resident of Machico, D. Carolina da Conceição de Ornelas Afonso, undertook the responsibility as the library’s administrator, requesting no income.

On September 14th of 1964, the Calouste Gulbenkian Municipal Library n. º 74 is established, where today are the town councillors offices. The library was opened only on Tuesdays and Thursdays mainly because its short amount of users.

After some years, the library struggled with difficulties in responding to the reader’s needs and having as main goal to provide an excellent service the attendants, it was transferred to the left wing on the ground-floor of the town-hall.

In 2008, the library relocates, this time to a rented area on the street José Conselheiro Ribeiro da Cunha.

On the 3rd of March 2008, the Municipal Library of Machico is set in a very worthy area, the Forum Machico, in the service of all community, essential to improve life’s quality and cultural level of the people of Machico.