The humble beginnings of the Aklatang Emilio Aguinaldo (AEA) can be traced from the time General Emilio Aguinaldo College (GEAC) Dasmariñas Campus was established on July 18,1977. It started with a classroom-size library with two library staff. It was transferred to the administration building in 1978. The opening of the College of Medicine in 1979 led the GEAC administrators in creating two separate libraries, the medical library and the undergraduate library. 

In 1981, the medical library was transferred to the 2nd floor of Building 2 at the East Campus. The transfer of the College of Medicine to the University Medical Center compound in 1986 gave more room to the GEAC undergraduate library. On August 1, 1991, the ground breaking of the new library building was held. The late Bishop Felix Perez led the ceremonies. The building, which was patterned after the Aguinaldo shrine in Kawit, Cavite was the brainchild of Bro. Andrew Gonzales. It was designed by Arch. Roberto Estanislao. The construction of the building was awarded to Engr. Perry Piccio of Constar Construction. On April 30, 1992, the new Aklatang Emilio Aguinaldo was inaugurated.

Construction of the new library building was made possible through the leadership of Bro. Rafael S. Donato, FSC, president and Dr. Oscar O. Bautista, executive vice president. The increasing population of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas prompted the construction of a library extension. The new building was designed by Arch. Ernesto Reyes and the construction was awarded to H. L. Carlos.

The architectural design of the Aklatang Emilio Aguinaldo was a replica of the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, the home of the first Philippine President General Emilio Aguinaldo. The facade of AEA is a bigger version of the Aguinaldo shrine contributed to the historical aura of the Museum complex a cultural zone envisioned by Br. Andrew Gonzales, FSC. The interiors of the building create a classic design that replicates a 19th century architecture. Moreover, the AEA rooms were named after the 13 martyrs of Cavite to commemorate the heroism and the contribution the Caviteños played in Philippine history.

The Aklatang Emilio Aguinaldo is the central source of information throughout the academic community. It thus provides resources, services, and facilities necessary to meet the learning and information needs of the academic community. It strives to become a creative partner in the achievement of DLSU-D’s goal in teaching, learning, and research. It envisions itself as the foremost academic library in Region IV in terms of collection, innovative services, and facilities.

To fulfill his vision, AEA has set specific areas geared towards the increased development and improvement of its collection, services, and facilities. These are:

• collection development concentrated on acquisition, organization, and maintenance
• marketing communication focused on the promotion of services, collection and customer relationship
• education of users with the services, facilities and existing collection of library
• human resource development centered on the continuing education of library personnel 
• information technology geared towards more efficient library services, and easier retrieval of all library resources
• extension of services to the community intended to offer assistance to other community libraries in the organization of their resources; to continue the accommodation of DLSU-D alumni seeking to use the different library facilities; and to strengthen and forge relationship with other academic libraries
• research undertakings focused on services and collection improvement