About the Drakeford Library Complex

Drakeford Library Complex 

Robert “Bob” Drakeford made history as Carrboro’s first Black mayor, elected in 1977 and serving until 1983. Dr. Drakeford served as alderman from 1975 to 1977 before being elected as mayor in 1977. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill’s city and regional planning program, he was an advocate for public transit and cycling, and he developed valuable collaborations with other progressive Black mayors in the South during his tenure.

Historical Background 

Separate votes by the Carrboro Town Council and the Orange County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, gave final approval for the library and civic development. The vote followed a long-term collaboration between Carrboro and Orange County, engagement with residents, boards and commissions, and design and planning work. Construction has been underway following a groundbreaking ceremony on May 5, 2022.  Check out all the Project updates.

Dr. Robert Drakeford  

We're thrilled to share history about the late Robert Drakeford through family members who are providing historical documentation from his tenure as Carrboro’s first Black mayor, elected in 1977 and serving until 1983. 

Read these recent stories about Dr. Drakeford from Orange Slices, the Daily Tar Heel, and the Triangle Blog Blog:  

  1. Poem about The Drakeford Library Complex
  2. Photos of Robert Drakeford
  3. Construction Photos

For our new library in Carrboro

In the beginning, it is said, that all came alive 
with letters. If all the letters made into words
are collected in books, all that exists,
all that has been, and all that could be, 
must be held in books as well. 

Books hold the voices of people 
and lift up stories that might not be heard 
or remembered. I see why they are collected 
and why they are banned. They contain history, 
experiences, dreams and daydreams, 
hopes and ideas for the future. 
They hold each of our spirits of wonder. 

In picking up a book, we begin to hear 
the lives and stories of others
and to realize who we are 
and who we could be in this world. 
Maybe we begin in a land with dragons 
or queens or heroes and villains 
or as part of a community, maybe 
we see ourselves as rabbits or dogs or lions
or lambs, or goats, or as the star of the story, 
or as the moon, and maybe we wonder more 
about what we might make of our own lives, 
of this life we share with each other.

When we lose ourselves in a book,
we come back to plan our next adventure, 
our next move, we come back to save the world. 
These are daring, system-breaking, empire-
crashing roles. Yes, that makes us dangerous.

If going to the library means walking among 
shelves of books, quieting ourselves 
among people in a quiet space, enjoying 
silence in a loud world, selecting a book 
to sit and read, to get lost in, to come back from
stronger, with more ideas, more wonder, more 
sense of self, more sense of belonging 
and of community, we should definitely do that.

If we can get all that from letters into words
into books into a library, we should read 
and visit our library every day, we should 
greet the books and the stories, wave 
at our neighbors and friends, smile
at the librarians, and we should all say 
thank you and more please. More letters,
more words, more books, more libraries.
More please.

-Liza Wolff-Francis, Carrboro Poet Laureate 2025