Originally established in 1983 as the Publishing and Printing Department, the State Publishing and Book Distribution House is responsible to the Ministry of Information and Culture's Department of Publishing, Printing, Distribution and Libraries for publishing and distributing a range of books and documents in both Lao and foreign languages. It operates with a complement of 25 staff, including three university graduates.

The State Publishing and Book Distribution House is still officially the only book distribution agency in Laos, although in practice (and contrary to the law) private publishing companies have in recent years begun to organise their own distribution networks throughout the country.

In accordance with the special relationship which exists between Laos and Việt Nam, the Publishing Department of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Việt Nam sends many Vietnamese-language publications to the State Publishing and Book Distribution House of Laos - mainly as donations - for sale in its outlets. In turn the State Publishing and Book Distribution House also sends its publications to Việt Nam for sale in the larger state bookshops there.

With Vietnamese assistance, the State Publishing and Book Distribution House recently set up its own small printing house at Ban Tan Mixay, outside Vientiane. It is hoped in future to obtain further international assistance to develop this as a major printing house.

In the absence of any formal training programmes at Lao schools, colleges and universities, the State Publishing and Book Distribution House occasionally organises short training courses for members of the publishing profession from the provinces, including publishing, printing and distribution management and print technology.