State Library of North Carolina
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 1812 |
| Jurisdiction | State of North Carolina |
| Headquarters | 109 East Jones Street Raleigh, NC 27699-4601 |
| Agency executive |
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| Parent agency | North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources |
| Website | statelibrary |
The State Library of North Carolina is an institution which serves North Carolina libraries, state government employees, genealogists, and the citizens of North Carolina. The library is the main depository for North Carolina state publications and serves the needs of North Carolina government agencies and state government employees by providing access to information resources that are vital to public decision-making and economic development.
The State Library of North Carolina is a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, an agency that promotes and protects North Carolina’s arts, history, and culture.
The library has two locations, both in the state capital, Raleigh. The main building is located on East Jones Street next to the North Carolina State Legislative Building and near to the North Carolina Museum of History and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is located on Capital Boulevard.
The origins of the State Library date from 1812 when the North Carolina General Assembly required the Secretary of State to collect, catalog, and safeguard books and documents for use by the state legislature and government officials. The library's primary responsibility during the nineteenth century was to serve the state legislature.
Although the State Library was patronized primarily by state officials, the public was allowed to use the reference collection on library premises beginning in 1845. Open circulation was permitted for a period during the 1870s until the mid 1880s. Until the last decade of the century, the State Library served as the state's only tax-supported library.
In response to a growing demand for more systematic support of the public library movement, the General Assembly of 1909 established the North Carolina Library Commission. Formed for the primary purpose of promoting the development of free public libraries on the local level, the commission's responsibilities included the following: assisting in the establishment of new libraries, including public school libraries; supplementing local collections; distributing library literature; and providing advice to trustees and libraries on library services.
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