Carnegie library

A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. A total of 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems. 1,689 were built in the United States, 660 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, 125 in Canada, and others in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Serbia, the Caribbean, Mauritius, Malaysia and Fiji.

At first, Carnegie libraries were almost exclusively in places where he had a personal connection, namely his home-town in Scotland and the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area. Beginning in 1899, Carnegie substantially increased funding to libraries outside of these areas.

In later years few towns that requested a grant and agreed to his terms were refused. By the time the last grant was made in 1919, there were 3,500 libraries in the United States, nearly half of them built with construction grants paid by Carnegie.

History

The first of Carnegie's public libraries was in his birthplace, Dunfermline, Scotland. It was first commissioned or granted by Carnegie in 1880 to James Campbell Walker and would open in 1883. The locally quarried sandstone building displays a stylized sun with a carved motto - "Let there be light" at the front entrance.

Carnegie Library (disambiguation)

A Carnegie Library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

Carnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, Andrew Carnegie Library, Andrew Carnegie Free Library or Carnegie Library Building may also refer to:

England

United States

California

Carnegie Library (Muncie, Indiana)

The Carnegie Library is a historic Carnegie library located at Muncie, Indiana, United States. The building houses the Local History & Genealogy collection and an open computer lab. The facility also provides wireless access and a meeting room for local groups to reserve. It is one of four branches that make up the Muncie Public Library System. The building was made possible through a financial donation to the City of Muncie by Andrew Carnegie to expand their library system throughout the community. The foundation for Carnegie Library was built in 1902 and the building opened to the public in 1904. It has been in continuous use as a library since its opening. The building is located in downtown Muncie at the intersection of Jackson and Jefferson.

History

Carnegie Library was dedicated on January 1, 1904. The library was built after a donation of $55,000 was given to the City of Muncie by Andrew Carnegie, with the goal to assist them in expanding their library system throughout the community. The library was one of the first structures in Indiana built from the funding of Andrew Carnegie, who was a major philanthropist, who supported library systems throughout the world. The plot of land where the building is located was a gift from local businessman George Spilker. As of 2015, the library continues to house the local history and genealogy department of the Muncie Library System.