History
The Library was established in 2006 under the then Ministry of Housing. It was formed by Cabinet Minute No. 3302 as the ‘Library and Information Center’ responsible for supporting the work of the Ministry directed towards the implementation of the goals of the housing sector set out in the Government’s housing policy.
From its inception to present the name of the library and its organizational structure has changed a number of times:

The general elections of 2007 resulted in a merger of Ministries which led to the creation of the new Ministry of Planning, Housing and the Environment, and the conversion of the library into a branch library of the newly formed Library Services Unit (LSU).  This merger engendered several challenges which were overcome and a new service was established which followed international professional metrics and NALIS best practices.

The May 2010 general elections heralded in a new Cabinet and another new Ministry, comprising Housing and the Environment and thus also the newly named Housing and Environment Library Unit (HELU).

Today the HELU is serviced by two staff members: a Librarian II and one para-professional staff, provided by the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS).

The NALIS Act, No. 18 of 1998, assigns development and co-ordination responsibilities of all the Library and Information services in Trinidad and Tobago to this statutory body.  The Ministry maintains the responsibility for providing physical facilities, collection and other resources.

Mission
To provide an effective service to support the information and research needs of the Ministry.

Vision
To become the primary source and repository of information and research on housing, the environment and related matters