The Maya Angelou Northeast Branch Library was dedicated on Friday, December 20, 1996. The facility bears the name of Maya Angelou (1928-2014), an author, poet, professor, civil rights activist, playwright, actress, director, and producer. In order to name the building after Angelou, the Wichita City Council had to make an exception to its policy against naming public buildings after living people. Angelou herself spoke at the building's opening.

The Angelou branch was one of the first Wichita Public Library locations to offer free Internet access to the public. Among its popular materials are the Urban Fiction collection.