The supreme policy-making body of RRRLF is called the Foundation. It consists of 22 members nominated by the Government of India from amongst eminent educationists, librarians, administrators and senior officials. The Minister of the Department of Culture, Government of India or his nominee is the Chairman of RRRLF. Shri Gangapuram Kishan Reddy is the present Chairman of RRRLF and Prof Ajay Pratap Singh, Director General is the executive head and ex-officio Member-Secretary of the Foundation.

The Foundation works in close association and active cooperation with different State Govts. and Union Territory Administrations through a machinery called State Library Planning Committee (SLPC/SLC) set up in each State at the instance of the Foundation. To participate in Foundation's programmes, a State Government/U.T. is required to contribute a certain amount fixed by the Foundation.

Since 2005-06 the Foundation has also taken up the initiative to develop the District Youth Resource Centre (DYRC) in collaboration with Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathana, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs.

The year 1972 is a significant year in the history of library movement in India. The country was celebrating the silver Jubilee of its independence. It was the bicentenary year of the birth of Raja Rammohun Roy, a pioneer social reformer who had stressed the need for modern education for the progress of the nation. The year was also being celebrated as an International Book Year with the slogan BOOKS FOR ALL. Emphasis was laid on promotion of reading habit among the masses for betterment of their lives. It was in this auspicious year that Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF) was established in May, 1972 by the Department of Culture, Govt. of India to spread library services all over the country in cooperation with State Governments, Union Territory Administrations and Organisations working in the field.