溫哥華中文圖書館始創於1972年，開辦時只系一個服務士達孔拿區（Strathcona）嘅小型閱覽室（Chinese Reading Room）。經歷多年，已經發展成爲一間社區圖書館（Chinese Community Library）。 喺1972年二月，創辦人理事兼館長鄭景元 Allan Cheng 喺政府資助俾士達孔拿社區嘅整治輔助金嘅幫助下促成咗溫哥華中文圖書館服務會嘅成立。呢筆社區整治輔助金嘅用途是要美化並維護社區環境，而同時成爲咗中文圖書館建設初期嘅理念。
The Vancouver Chinese Library was founded in 1972 as a small Chinese Reading Room serving Strathcona. Over the years, it has developed into a community library (Chinese Community Library). In February 1972, founder and director Allan Cheng led to the establishment of the Vancouver Chinese Library Service Association with the help of a government-funded rehabilitation grant for the Balsta Conna community. The purpose of this community improvement grant is to beautify and maintain the community environment, and at the same time, it became the initial concept of the construction of the Chinese library.