It was an ordinary day. Just got back from taking photographs at the Landis Run Intermediate School Library in the Manheim Township School District that I will use in their school yearbook. The school opened eight years ago and the latest yearbook is the 8th edition of the book which I have done for them. Neat library that has shelves filled with books for all ages to read as well as research books and the traditional encyclopedias and naturally a few dictionaries. I'm sure there are some schools that can't afford their own library, but my guess is there are more school with libraries than those without them. I have paid many visits to the Lancaster Library which is located on North Duke Street in the center of the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. My children grew up making trips to the Lancaster Library to listen to volunteers read to them as well as checking out a book to take home to read. My parents did the same for my brother and myself when I too was a child at one time. So, when did the idea of libraries in the United States first begin? Well, the first completely tax-supported public library in the United States was in Peterborough, New Hampshire which was founded at a town meeting on April 9, 1833. Then in 1866, Andrew Carnegie opened his first public library in his adopted hometown of Allegheny, Pennsylvania. That was followed on March 18, 1889 by the Carnegie Free Library of Braddock, Pennsylvania.
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| The Braddock, Pennsylvania Library |
Mr. Carnegie eventually opened 1,679 libraries across the United States. He also built additional libraries around the world. These libraries were in communities both small and large and opened up a world of learning, entertainment and possibilities to millions of patrons. Carnegie was a Scottish-American immigrant who made his fortune in the railroad and steel industries. Before the end of his life he donated nearly 90% of his fortune to various causes. It was during the second half of the 19th century that the idea of "free" libraries began to spread.
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| Mr. Andrew Carnegie |
Mr. Carnegie, who was born in 1835, immigrated to America as a boy after industrialization forced his father out of the textile business. The family settled in the suburbs of Pittsburgh where Andrew got a job as a messenger boy. It was there that he met Colonel James Anderson who allowed young Andrew to visit his personal library on Saturdays.
He would allow Andrew to borrow books which opened an entirely new world to Carnegie. It was at this time that Carnegie vowed that if he ever became wealthy, he would provide the generosity to others. Over the next 50 years Carnegie built his fortune though methods which at times were scrutinized since he was said to pay the lowest wage he could. In 1892 his workers at his Homestead Steel Mill struck over low wages and better working conditions. The strike led to a violent gun battle which required the militia to restore peace. It was said that Carnegie built his fortune on the backs of poor workers. One newspaper editorial read..."Ten thousand Carnegie public libraries would not compensate for the evils resulting from the Homestead lockout." Did his thousands of libraries really make up for his low wages? His libraries were housed in beautiful buildings with big windows and ample light. In 1909 Carnegie devised a plan to award grants for library construction for communities in need. There were three conditions; (1) the municipalities had to own the property where the library would be built, (2) the property had to be large enough for future expansion and (3) the grant recipients had to pay 10% of the gift for building maintenance. He even wrote a book on Library Building and sent it to communities who desired a grant from him. He liked stairs in his libraries since it represented climbing towards wisdom. By the time Mr. Carnegie issued his last library grant in 1919, most states had a least one Carnegie library with many still being in use today. Could the library in your community be one of the original 1,679 libraries that he donated to cities and towns all over the United States? It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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