The Wake County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously today to change the name of the Cameron Village Regional Library to “Village Regional Library.”

The Cameron Village shopping center, where the library is located, was built on land that once held enslaved people and was named for the Cameron family. In January, Regency Centers, owners of the property, announced that it would change the name to “Village District.”

“Wake County embraces and celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Wake County Commissioner Shinica Thomas. “We want all residents to feel comfortable and respected when they visit any of our buildings.”

The City of Raleigh opened the Cameron Village branch as a 2,500-square-foot storefront library in 1974. In the early 1980s, Wake County took over the operation of the branch and in 1985 relocated it to a larger space.

Since then, the library has gone through additional renovations and expansions and is now Wake County Public Libraries’ largest regional library at 36,000 square feet. The library is a leased facility with a 20-year term.

Library staff will develop an interpretive display inside the facility to educate visitors on why the change was made.

Learn more about Wake County Public Libraries at wakegov.com/libraries.