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List of Carnegie libraries in Pennsylvania

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The following list of Carnegie libraries in Pennsylvania provides detailed information on United States Carnegie libraries in Pennsylvania, where 59 public libraries were built from 27 grants (totaling $5,169,587) awarded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York from 1886 to 1917. Notably, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania contains the first Carnegie libraries ever donated by the philanthropist, owing to his personal connection to the Pittsburgh area. Architectural Critic Patricia Lowry calls them "Pittsburgh's most significant cultural export".[1]

Five out of the first seven, six of the first ten, and seven of the first twelve libraries that Carnegie commissioned in America are in Allegheny County. Also, eleven of the first fourteen Carnegie funded libraries to open in America were in Allegheny County. In all, 19 libraries were commissioned in the county and several of them are more than just libraries but are cultural centers as well.

Also among the libraries built were 25 in Philadelphia which are listed separately. In addition to public libraries, academic libraries were built for 9 institutions, more than any other state. These grants totaled $441,000. In addition Carnegie founded two entire colleges in Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute of Technology and Margaret Morrison College for Women. Both are today part of Carnegie Mellon University.

Key

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  Building still operating as a library
  Building standing, but now serving another purpose
  Building no longer standing
  Building listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Philadelphia

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The following list of Carnegie libraries in Philadelphia provides detailed information on United States Carnegie libraries in Philadelphia, where 25 libraries were built from 1 grant (totaling $1,500,000) awarded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York on January 5, 1903.[2]

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Library Image Location Notes
1 Chestnut Hill   8711 Germantown Avenue (19118)
40°04′38″N 75°12′32″W / 40.077255°N 75.208755°W / 40.077255; -75.208755 (Chestnut Hill)
2 Cobbs Creek   5800 Cobbs Creek Parkway, (19143)
39°56′45″N 75°14′29″W / 39.94572°N 75.241500°W / 39.94572; -75.241500 (Blanche A. Nixon Branch Library)
3 Falls of Schuylkill   3501 Midvale Avenue (19129)

40°00′51″N 75°11′31″W / 40.014201°N 75.191874°W / 40.014201; -75.191874 (Falls of Schuylkill Library)

4 Frankford 4634 Frankford Avenue (19124) Replaced by modern building[3]
5 Germantown   5818 Germantown Avenue (19144)
40°02′14″N 75°10′34″W / 40.037324°N 75.176045°W / 40.037324; -75.176045 (Senior Citizens Center) 		Senior citizens center[4]
6 Greenwich Original razed[4]
7 Haddington   446 North 65th Street (19151)
39°58′12″N 75°14′58″W / 39.970048°N 75.249346°W / 39.970048; -75.249346 (Haddington Library)
8 Kingsessing   1201 South 51st Street (19143)
39°56′33″N 75°13′09″W / 39.942406°N 75.219037°W / 39.942406; -75.219037 (Kingsessing Library)
9 Lehigh   601 West Lehigh Avenue (19133)
39°59′32″N 75°08′32″W / 39.992343°N 75.142173°W / 39.992343; -75.142173 (Lillian Marrero Branch Library)[5] 		Renamed Lillian Marerro Branch ca. 2005[6]
10 Logan   1333 Wagner Avenue (19141),
40°01′53″N 75°08′43″W / 40.031457°N 75.145342°W / 40.031457; -75.145342 (Logan Branch Library)
11 Manayunk Fleming and Dupont Streets (19128)
40°01′52″N 75°13′20″W / 40.031107°N 75.222124°W / 40.031107; -75.222124 (Now a nursing home) 		Now an apartment building[7]
12 McPherson Square   601 East Indiana Avenue (19134)
39°59′41″N 75°07′08″W / 39.994808°N 75.11878°W / 39.994808; -75.11878 (McPherson Square Library)
13 Nicetown 1715 Hunting Park Avenue (19124)[8] Replaced by modern building in 1961,
at 3720 Broad Street 19140[9]
14 Oak Lane   6614 North 12th Street (19126)
40°03′12″N 75°08′16″W / 40.053362°N 75.137714°W / 40.053362; -75.137714 (Oak Lane Branch Library) 		Land gift of citizens of Oak Lane and Vicinity[10]
15 Paschalville   6942 Woodland Avenue (19142)
39°55′13″N 75°14′27″W / 39.920410°N 75.24089°W / 39.920410; -75.24089 (Paschalville Branch Library) 		Faces South 70th Street
16 Passyunk   1935 Shunk Street (19145)
39°55′11″N 75°10′49″W / 39.919622°N 75.1802°W / 39.919622; -75.1802 (Thomas F. Donatucci, Sr. Library) 		Opened 1914, Renamed 2004:
Thomas F. Donatucci Sr. Branch[11]
17 Richmond   2987 Almond Street (19134)
39°58′59″N 75°06′31″W / 39.982963°N 75.108653°W / 39.982963; -75.108653 (Richmond Branch Library)
18 South Philadelphia 2407 S Broad Street
19 Southwark 1108 South 5th Street Now houses Philadelphia Overseas Chinese Association
20 Spring Garden 1700 Spring Garden Street Razed[4]
21 Tacony   6742 Torresdale Avenue (19135)
40°01′31″N 75°02′43″W / 40.025356°N 75.0452300°W / 40.025356; -75.0452300 (Tacony Library) 		Land gift of Jacob S. Disston, Esq. 1906 [12]
22 Thomas Holme   7810 Frankford Avenue (19136)
40°02′25″N 75°01′52″W / 40.040293°N 75.031184°W / 40.040293; -75.031184 (Holmesburg Library) 		Holmesburg Library

Land gift of Lower Dublin Academy[13]

23 Walnut Street   140 South 40th Street (19104)
39°57′15″N 75°12′09″W / 39.954112°N 75.202589°W / 39.954112; -75.202589 (Walnut Street Branch Library) 		West Philadelphia Branch
24 Wissahickon Manayunk Avenue and Osbourne Street Razed[4]
25 Wyoming   231 East Wyoming Avenue (19120)
40°01′16″N 75°07′17″W / 40.021191°N 75.121402°W / 40.021191; -75.121402 (Wyoming Avenue Library) 		Opened October 30, 1930, it was the last library funded by Carnegie.[14]

Public libraries

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Library Locality Image Date
granted[15] 		Grant
amount[15][16] 		Location Notes
1 Allegheny Allegheny County—North Side of Pittsburgh, formerly known as Allegheny City   1886 $481,012 6 Allegheny Square East The first Carnegie Library in the US to be commissioned and the second to open. Dedicated by Carnegie and U.S. President Benjamin Harrison on February 20, 1890. Also houses the first Carnegie Hall in the US, which is now used by the New Hazlett Theater. And starting in 2017, the library space is being renovated and being turned into the Museum Lab, which is a part of the Children's Museum across the street, and will open in April 2019.
2 Beaver Falls Beaver Falls, Beaver County   Aug 15, 1899 $50,000 1301 7th Ave. The 20th Carnegie Library in the U.S. to be commissioned.
3 Braddock Allegheny County -- Braddock   1887 $357,782 419 Library St.
40°24′07″N 79°51′56″W / 40.401869°N 79.865425°W / 40.401869; -79.865425 (Public Library, Braddock, PA) 		The first Carnegie Library in the US to open and the second to be commissioned. Dedicated by Carnegie and U.S. President Benjamin Harrison on March 30, 1889. Originally, it was not a publicly supported library but was fully funded by the Carnegie Steel Co. and governed by its officials. The first of four such libraries in the US to be fully endowed. An 1893 expansion doubled the size of the building and includes the third Carnegie Music Hall in the US, a Gymnasium, and a swimming pool (currently out of use).
4 Bradford Bradford, McKean County   Jan 19, 1900 $40,000 27 Congress St. Library moved to a new building in 1991. Now a restaurant, Beefeaters at the Historic Carnegie Library.[17][18]
5 Butler Butler, Butler County May 3, 1917 $37,000 218 N. McKean St. The last library commissioned by Carnegie in Pennsylvania and among the last in the entire country. Opened 1921; renovated 1966 and 2003
6 Carnegie Allegheny County -- Carnegie   Apr 26, 1898 $310,000 300 Beechwood Ave. The seventh Carnegie Library in the USA commissioned and the third to be fully endowed. Opened May 1, 1901. Official name: Andrew Carnegie Free Library. Of the 2,509 libraries built by Andrew Carnegie, it was the only public library granted permission to use both his first and last names. In addition to the library, it includes a 788-seat Music Hall, 140-seat Lecture Hall, Civil War Museum, and a small in-town park.[19]
7 Connellsville Connellsville, Fayette County   Apr 22, 1899 $75,000 299 S. Pittsburgh St. The 13th library in the US to receive a grant.
8 Corry Corry, Erie County   Nov 9, 1916 $15,000 203 N. Center St. Now a restaurant
9 Duquesne Allegheny County -- Duquesne Jan 23, 1901 $310,000 The fourth and final library to be fully endowed. Carnegie had a Steel Mill here. Demolished in June 1968
10 Easton Easton, Northampton County   Jul 4, 1901 $57,500 515 Church St.
11 Edgewood Allegheny County -- Edgewood May 8, 1914 $12,500 1 Pennwood Ave. C.C. Mellor Memorial Library, opened September 1, 1916. Named for Charles C. Mellor, one of the original trustees, appointed by Andrew Carnegie, of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
12 Hamburg Hamburg, Berks County   Feb 20, 1903 $10,000 35 N. 3rd St.
13 Homestead Allegheny County -- Munhall   Nov 27, 1896 $322,067 510 E. 10th Ave. The sixth Carnegie Library in the US to be commissioned and the second to be fully endowed. Opened November 5, 1898. It was the 7th to open—the Lawrenceville branch of Pittsburgh, commissioned at the same time as its main branch, opened 6 months earlier. Also contains a Carnegie Music Hall, a lecture hall, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and a bowling alley.
14 Johnstown Johnstown, Cambria County   Mar 9, 1890 $55,332 304 Washington St. The fourth Carnegie Library commissioned in the US and the first outside of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Now the Johnstown Flood Museum.
15 Mansfield Mansfield, Tioga County Mar 29, 1911 $5,000 71 N. Main St.
16 McKeesport Allegheny County -- McKeesport   Apr 2, 1899 $50,000 1507 Library Ave. The 12th library in the US to receive a grant from Carnegie. Opened July 15, 1902.
17 Midland Midland, Beaver County   May 8, 1914 $20,000 61 9th St.
18 North Bessemer Allegheny County -- Penn Hills May 1, 1901 $20,600 Demolished in the 1950s
19 Oakmont Allegheny County -- Oakmont   Jan 24, 1899 $25,000 700 Allegheny River Blvd. The tenth library in the US to receive a grant. Opened 1901.
20 Oil City Oil City, Venango County   Apr 12, 1900 $44,000 2 Central Ave.
21 Phoenixville Phoenixville, Chester County Mar 9, 1901 $20,000 183 2nd Ave.
22 Pittsburgh Main Allegheny County -- Pittsburgh   Feb 6, 1890 $1,160,614[20] 4400 Forbes Ave. The third Carnegie Library commissioned in the US and the first to have multiple branches. Main library dedicated November 5, 1895, at which time Carnegie announced an additional gift to enlarge the building. The mammoth structure in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh contains the Main Library, Carnegie Music Hall (the fourth to open in the USA), Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and Carnegie Museum of Art.
23 Pittsburgh East Liberty Pittsburgh Feb 6, 1890 — Opened 1905, demolished in the 1960s. In 1967 a new Carnegie library opened at a different location in East Liberty. That structure was renovated in 2010 by Edge Studio.
24 Pittsburgh Hazelwood Pittsburgh   Feb 6, 1890 — 4748 Monongahela St. Opened August 15, 1900. The eleventh Carnegie funded library to open in America. Relocated to Second Avenue in 2004.
25 Pittsburgh Homewood Pittsburgh   ? $160,500 [21] 7101 Hamilton Ave. Opened 1910, it was not part of Carnegie's original grant to Pittsburgh but part of a later gift. It's the last library Carnegie built in the city of Pittsburgh and is much bigger than a typical branch building. It's the library featured in episodes of the PBS show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Includes 300-seat auditorium. Renovated 2004.
26 Pittsburgh Lawrenceville Pittsburgh   Feb 6, 1890 — 279 Fisk St. Opened May 10, 1898. The 6th Carnegie Library to open in the US, it was the first 'self-service' library using an open-stacks policy. It was planned so one librarian could oversee the entire operation with a circulation desk flanked by turnstiles that admitted readers to the open stacks one at a time. Also the first library to have a room for children. The reading rooms were separated by walls that became glass partitions above waist level—under the watchful eye of the librarian.[1][22]
27 Pittsburgh Mount Washington Pittsburgh   Feb 6, 1890 — 315 Grandview Ave. Opened May 31, 1900; the tenth Carnegie funded library to open in America
28 Pittsburgh South Side Pittsburgh   Feb 6, 1890 — 2205 E. Carson St. Opened January 30, 1908, the last of those which were financed from Mr. Carnegie's original gift to the city.
29 Pittsburgh West End Pittsburgh   Feb 6, 1890 — 47 Wabash St. Opened January 31, 1899. The eighth Carnegie funded library to open in America. It was Carnegie's second library (after Lawrenceville branch) to have open shelves for patrons and second neighborhood branch—which he scaled down considerably from the huge structures built as central libraries and cultural centers such as Braddock, Allegheny, Homestead, and Pittsburgh Main Branch.
30 Pittsburgh Wylie Avenue Pittsburgh Feb 6, 1890 — 1911 Wylie Ave. Opened June 1, 1899. The ninth Carnegie funded library to open in America. Branch relocated in 1982. Original building now a mosque
31 Pottsville Pottsville, Schuylkill County Jan 28, 1916 $45,000 215 W. Market St.
32 Reading Reading, Berks County Apr 16, 1910 $111,180 100 S. 5th St. Dedicated May 15, 1913
33 Ridley Park Ridley Park, Delaware County   Jun 24, 1911 $10,000 107 E. Ward St. Dedicated July 4, 1912
34 Swissvale Allegheny County -- Swissvale   Nov 17, 1914 $25,000 1800 Monongahela Ave. Opened February 4, 1918. The last Library built by Carnegie in his adopted home of Allegheny County.

Academic libraries

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Institution Locality Image Date
granted[23] 		Grant
amount[23] 		Location Notes
1 Bucknell University Lewisburg, Union County Mar 10, 1904 $30,000 Now houses the history department
2 College of Physicians Philadelphia   Mar 4, 1903 $100,000 19 S. 22nd St.
39°57′12″N 75°10′36″W / 39.953333°N 75.176667°W / 39.953333; -75.176667 (College of Physicians of Philadelphia)
3 Grove City College Grove City, Mercer County Apr 28, 1900 $32,000 Now the alumni center
4 Institute for Colored Youth Cheyney   Jul 12, 1905 $10,000
5 Juniata College Huntingdon, Huntingdon County Mar 15, 1905 $28,000 Now an art museum
6 Lebanon Valley College Annville   Feb 5, 1904 $20,000 Now the admissions office
7 Pennsylvania State College State College   Jun 26, 1902 $150,000 Now the College of Communications
8 Perkiomen Seminary Pennsburg   Apr 24, 1906
Jan 2, 1913 		$6,000
$15,000
9 Swarthmore College Swarthmore Feb 2, 1906 $50,000 Open 1907–1967, burned September 16, 1983

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Patricia Lowry; http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030302carnegie2.asp Archived 2016-05-09 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Anderson, p. 57.
  3. ^ "FLP:Frankford Branch (Note modern building)". FLP Web Site. Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  4. ^ a b c d "The Carnegie Libraries:Philadelphia County". The Pennsylvania Center for the Book. Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved 2010-09-16. Germantown:Original now a senior citizens center Greenwich Branch (Original razed) Ritner's Children's (No longer in existence) Spring Garden Branch (Razed) Wissahickon Branch (Razed)
  5. ^ "FLP:Lillian Marrero Branch". FLP Web Site. Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2010-09-15. Lillian Marerro Branch, 601 West Lehigh Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19133-2228
  6. ^ "Branch renamed for Lillian E. Marrero-Rios (1956–2005), a librarian at this branch for many years."
  7. ^ "Relish in City Living in 4525 Fleming".
  8. ^ "FLP:Nicetown Branch)". FLP Web Site. Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2010-09-17. On June 29, 1917, a new library funded by Andrew Carnegie was opened at 1715 Hunting Park Avenue, near Wayne Avenue. The 12th library in the Free Library system, it kept the name 'Nicetown.'
  9. ^ "FLP:Nicetown Branch (Note modern building)". FLP Web Site. Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2010-09-17. The present library, now named for both communities, opened in a remodeled Linton's restaurant on April 16, 1961. It was located at the intersection of Broad Street, Erie and Germantown Avenues – now a transportation hub with a Broad Street subway station.
  10. ^ The Land On which this Building is Erected Was Presented to the City by Citizens of Oak Lane and Vicinity for the Oak Lane Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia MCMXI. Plaque inside front entrance, 6614 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19126. 2010-09-17.{{cite sign}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  11. ^ "FLP:Donatucci Branch". FLP Web Site. Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2010-09-17. Thomas F. Donatucci, Sr.: The Donatucci Branch (known as the Passyunk Branch until 2004) has been a vibrant and evolving institution since 1914.
  12. ^ The Land On which this Building is Erected Was Presented to the City by Jacob S. Disston Esq. for the Tacony Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia MCMVI. 6742 Torresdale Avenue (19135). 2009-04-08.{{cite sign}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  13. ^ The Land On which this Building is Erected Was Presented to the City by The Trustees of The Lower Dublin Academy for the Thomas Holme Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia MCMVI. Plaque inside front entrance, 7810 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19136-3047. 2010-09-04.{{cite sign}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  14. ^ Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Historical Marker Archived 2016-03-21 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ a b At various times, Bobinski and Jones disagree on these numbers. In these cases, Jones' numbers have been used due to both a more recent publication date and a more detailed gazetteer of branch libraries, which are often where the discrepancies occur.
  16. ^ Grants for multiple libraries (Pittsburgh) are listed only by their total amount, not broken down for each branch.
  17. ^ "Beefeaters at the Historic Carnegie Library". Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  18. ^ "About - Bradford Area Public Library". Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  19. ^ "Library Legally Established 100 Years Ago by Andrew Carnegie".
  20. ^ Includes cost of central library, which is a part of the Carnegie Institute.
  21. ^ "Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Recommended hotels in Pittsburgh".
  22. ^ Margaret Henderson Floyd; "Architecture After Richardson"; 1994
  23. ^ a b Miller, pp. 38–40

References

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  • Anderson, Florence (1963). Carnegie Corporation Library Program 1911–1961. New York: Carnegie Corporation. OCLC 1282382.
  • Bobinski, George S. (1969). Carnegie Libraries: Their History and Impact on American Public Library Development. Chicago: American Library Association. ISBN 0-8389-0022-4.
  • Jones, Theodore (1997). Carnegie Libraries Across America. New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-14422-3.
  • Miller, Durand R. (1943). Carnegie Grants for Library Buildings, 1890–1917. New York: Carnegie Corporation of New York. OCLC 2603611.

Note: The above references, while all authoritative, are not entirely mutually consistent. Some details of this list may have been drawn from one of the references without support from the others. Reader discretion is advised.

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