In the 1930s, the Federal Government was responsible for the founding and maintenance of many North Carolina libraries through the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

The aid supported building new libraries, paying library salaries, repairing old library buildings, running bookmobile service (paying for the bookmobile, driver, and collections), and funding special library programs such as the statewide book mending program which trained women to repair damaged library books.

At one point, two-thirds of the public libraries in North Carolina were completely staffed by WPA workers.
With the advent of World War II, the federal government had to terminate the WPA library project. Even so, it left a profound impact on the state.

In 1926 prior to the WPA, only 32% of North Carolinians had access to a library. By 1942, over 80% of the state's population had access to library materials. Because so much of North Carolina is rural, bookmobiles have always been a vital part of library services.

North Carolina libraries were segregated through much of their history. Though some efforts were made to offer some services to Black communities throughout the state, this offer was little compared to what was given to the White communities.

Davidson County received a Julius Rosenwald grant in the 1920s to offer library services to all citizens of the county, and library systems throughout the state offered either separate African American branches (such as Asheville, Raleigh, Durham, and Greensboro), or offered specific bookmobile service to African American schools, towns, and businesses.

Many Black churches, teachers and librarians throughout the state created their own bookmobiles and libraries to serve the Black communities. In 1948, over 80% of North Carolina's White American population had access to library services compared to only 50% of the African American population.

During the Civil Rights Era, public libraries throughout North Carolina were forced to become open to all the public offering services to all North Carolinians regardless of race. Still, many of these libraries treated Black patrons with disrespect and let them know they were not welcome no matter what the law said.

Source: Guilford County History Museum