Hamburg, PAVisit the Library and Archives My childhood library was the public library in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. That’s how I learned about Carnegie Libraries. I remember in third grade walking from the elementary school to the library to watch the iconic copper tower roof get replaced. I was a voracious reader growing up, and I can…
Lackawanna, NYVisit the Library and Archives I am the current director of the Lackawanna Library, one of the last libraries to receive Carnegie funding for construction. We are still a thriving component of the Lackawanna community in 2025, over 100 years since the building’s construction, now as a member of the Buffalo & Erie County…
Avon-by-the-Sea, NJVisit the Library and Archives Upon receiving word that Carnegie Corporation of New York would provide $5,000 to fund the library, Valeria F. Penrose wrote in a May 17, 1916, letter: “We are indeed grateful. The starved lives in little Avon are now assured of practical mental food with adequate housing and the people…
Pierce, NEVisit the Library and Archives My grandma was the town librarian when I was a child. I loved visiting her and “helping” at the library. This story was submitted by a Carnegie Library fan. Got a story? Share it here. Nancy Mastalir Ruder Share Your Stories and Images VIEW MORE STORIES: Search Stories by…
Joplin, MOVisit the Library and Archives I remember checking books out at the Carnegie back in my middle school days about the artist Vincent van Gogh, and as a local architect in the community I have periodically photographed this great building. This story was submitted by a Carnegie Library fan. Got a story? Share it…
Ridley Park, PAVisit the Library and Archives When my daughter was a toddler, I would take her and her friends to several summer activities that the library had planned for children. Along with her friends, she got to experience science, art, and story times. Each week she was excited to leave her precious pool and…
Tomah, WIVisit the Library and Archives This was my very first library. Tomah, Wisconsin, 1967. I was five years old, clutching the hand of my sister, so much older and wiser than me at eight. She was so cool. I wanted to be just like her. I chased after her everywhere and always held her…
Montclair, NJVisit the Library and Archives I have worked for the Montclair Public Library Foundation for the past four years, and the Bellevue Avenue Branch Library is a cherished historic gem in Montclair. The library was built in 1914 with a $40,000 grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, part of his legacy of funding public libraries…
Pottsville, PAVisit the Library and Archives The Pottsville Free Public Library was opened in 1922 with the cornerstone being laid in 1921. In 1999, the library opened an expanded version of the original Carnegie building. The original library is still a functional portion of the entire structure with its columns, high ceilings, and all its…
St. Louis, MOVisit the Library and Archives After being denied a library card in Illinois in 1990 because we bought a house outside of town limits, we went across the Mississippi River and discovered the downtown branch of the St. Louis Public Library. For $15 a year, we were able to take advantage of the…