Vanceboro Library: A Brief History

The reality of a library in Vanceboro was first a dream of the late Mrs. J.B. Brown. A native of Texas, she and her family moved to Vanceboro in 1914. Seeing the need, her enthusiasm enlisted the presidents of the town’s organized clubs for support.

Library service had its beginning in 1937 in a small room in the L. E. Smith Building with 35 books collected and donated by the Woman’s Betterment. Soon, another empty room had to be cleaned and the books were moved to the Brewer-Nelson house.

In 1939, the opportunity to build with the help of Works Progress Administration was available. A 25 foot lot was purchased for $50. Citizens young and old accepted the challenge, raising funds for materials. The building was dedicated in April 1940.

Funds for operation were a problem, however, some support came from the county and the town. Again, Mrs. Brown came to the rescue acting as librarian for four afternoons a week for $10 per month.

The Vanceboro Public Library became a part of the Craven-Pamlico-Carteret Library Service when it was organized in 1948, and then became a part of the Craven-Pamlico-Carteret Regional Library System in 1962.

In 1981, Wachovia Bank & Trust Company (now Wells Fargo) was scheduled to move into their new facility. They announced they would be donating the current building to house the new town library. A 1,400 square foot addition was added totaling a floor space of 3,000 square feet. In May of 1983 Vanceboro-Craven County Public Library moved into 7931 Main Street where it is still located today.

The Vanceboro – Craven County Public Library offers the community a variety of services including: internet, Wi-Fi, fax, copy, scan, books, programming, online databases, and eBooks.