Designed and built in 1926 the Colonial Revival building at 311 East Main Street served as the Durham Public Library until the present library opened in 1978. New York architect Edward L. Tilton designed the building, which was built primarily with money from the Carnegie Foundation.

Built to replace Durham's original public library, a Queen Anne-style building at Five Points that had become inadequate for the citizens' heavy use. In turn, the 1926 library became far too small to serve the growing county and experienced chronic maintenance issues until renovation after the library moved out.