The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (previously the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County) is the public library system of the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, United States.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library serves a community of approximately one million citizens in the city of Charlotte and the towns of Matthews, Pineville, Mint Hill, Davidson, Cornelius and Huntersville – all located in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
History
Early history
Andrew Carnegie donated $25,000 to establish a public library in Charlotte in 1901. In early 1904, the city aldermen bought a lot at the corner of Brevard and East 2nd streets for a separate library for African Americans, the first of its kind in North Carolina.Cristina Bolling, "Our living history: spreading the joy of books," Charlotte Observer, Feb. 15, 2005, p.1B Although only six blocks from the Carnegie Library, it was in the heart of the Brooklyn neighborhood, the black city within the city of Charlotte where many black churches and most black-owned businesses and professional offices were located. It operated independently at first, and after 1929 as a branch of the public library system, before closing in 1961.
Growth of the library system
The library system and the region grew tremendously in this period. The new, architecturally modern Main Library expanded its services to include a Carolina Room for local history and genealogy. In 1956, the library stopped segregating its customers by race and opened its services to all on an equal basis.
Under the leadership of, among others, Hoyt R. Galvin
(1940-1971) and Robert E. Cannon (1986–2003), the library added more branches, inaugurated a literary festival, remodeled the 1956 Main Library building, and brought its catalog online. It continued to grow into the 21st century, constructing the ImaginOn branch as a joint venture with the Children's Theatre of Charlotte.
The modern library
The economic recession of 2009–2011 brought significant budget reductions, resulting in employee layoffs, the closure of four library branches, reduced hours and services at all remaining locations, and the consolidation of several support functions with Mecklenburg County. It was from this challenging time that the Library, County and community leaders found new ways to collaborate to meet the mutual goal of providing Mecklenburg County residents with the resources they needed. Today the library's 20 locations include a Main Library, an innovative library for children and teens called ImaginOn, and a network of branch libraries throughout Mecklenburg County. Throughout the system, the library provides free and open access to its physical and electronic collections and information, as well as to its services for people of all ages.
In April 2025, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library CEO Marcellus "MT" Turner resigned, and Angie Myers assumed the role of interim CEO.
List of Branches +Branch NameMunicipalityAddressAllegra Westbrooks RegionalCharlotte2412 Beatties Ford Rd, Charlotte, NC 28216CorneliusCornelius21105 Catawba Ave, Cornelius, NC 28031DavidsonDavidson119 S Main St, Davidson, NC 28036Founders HallCharlotte100 N Tryon Street, Suite 290, Charlotte, NC 28202Hickory GroveCharlotte5935 Hickory Grove Rd, Charlotte, NC 28215ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin CenterCharlotte300 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202Independence RegionalCharlotte6000 Conference Dr, Charlotte, NC 28212MainCharlotte310 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202MatthewsMatthews230 Matthews Station St, Matthews, NC 28105Mint HillMint Hill6840 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd, Mint Hill, NC 28227Mountain IslandCharlotte4420 Hoyt Galvin Way, Charlotte, NC 28214Myers ParkCharlotte1361 Queens Rd, Charlotte, NC 28207North County RegionalHuntersville16500 Holly Crest Ln, Huntersville, NC 28078PinevillePineville505 Main St #100, Pineville, NC 28134Plaza MidwoodCharlotte1623 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205South BoulevardCharlotte4429 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28209South County RegionalCharlotte5801 Rea Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277SouthPark RegionalCharlotte7015 Carnegie Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28211Steele CreekCharlotte13620 Steele Creek Rd, Charlotte, NC 28273Sugar CreekCharlotte4045 North Tryon Street, Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28206University City RegionalCharlotte5528 Waters Edge Village Drive, Charlotte, NC 28262West BoulevardCharlotte2157 West Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28208
See also 23 Things, an educational program created by the technology director of this library
References