When Your Town Needed a Library

The idea struck me, not long ago, to write a story about a town that wanted to build a library.
I wanted to set my tale in the early 1900’s, preferably in Texas, and so I started to research.
What did a town do to build a library? What did it cost? How did they afford it? And after only
a little digging, I discovered the history of public libraries in the United States.

Andrew Carnegie, National Archives

If you’re like me, when you hear the name Carnegie you mostly think of Carnegie Hall,
a historic theater in New York where you can attend shows by rockstars or grand orchestras.
Maybe you’ll actually think of Andrew Carnegie, one of the wealthiest businessmen of the
19th century. After researching the history of the public library system, I now think of
Carnegie Libraries.

Say what you will about the wealthy tycoons of centuries past, but a great debt is owed
to Andrew Carnegie for the emphasis and importance he put on libraries.

As a young working man, Carnegie knew the importance of books. During his days as a
journalist, he entered the home of a Mr. Stokes. In this man’s home, Carnegie read the words,

“He that cannot reason is a fool,He that will not a bigot,He that dare not a slave.”

At that moment, Carnegie said he promised to himself, “Some day, some day, I’ll have a
library and these words shall grace the mantel as here.”

He actually contributed a lot of his own success to having access to a private library.

“The treasures of the world which books contain were opened to me at the right moment. The fundamental advantage of a library is that it gives nothing for nothing. Youths must acquire knowledge themselves.” - Andrew Carnegie.

The original Dunfermline, Scotland, Carnegie Library. Beautiful.

This man, when he became a person of power, took to philanthropic work in regards
to cultivating a love for the arts and academics. He opened his first library in his hometown,
Dunfermline, Scotland. Then his foundation opened 2,508 more.

That’s right. There were 2,509 Carnegie libraries in the world. Only 1,689 were built in
the United States of America, where I live. But there were libraries in the UK, Ireland, Canada,
Australia, South African, Serbia, New Zealand, Belgium, France, Mauritius, Malaysia, and Fiji.

Carnegie didn’t believe in giving something for nothing. He wrote, “...an endowed institution
is liable to become the prey of a clique. The public ceases to take interest in it, or, rather,
never acquires interest in it.”

Carnegie came up with a formula for the building and endowment of libraries. If a small
town in the middle of nowhere wanted help building a public library, they could apply to
the Carnegie foundation and they were sent back what amounts to forms and paper interviews
with a list of questions and requirements. The town was required to show a need for a library
and that they would be able to maintain it after it was built. They also had to come up with
some of the funds, though there wasn’t a fixed amount. Perfect for my story.

Did you know that in the old days of libraries, if a patron wanted a book they would have to
ask a librarian to get it for them? People weren’t allowed to browse the stacks and find
whatever they wanted. Part of the reason you can wander library shelves freely today is
because Andrew Carnegie, ever the business man, instituted a new method in his
libraries - an open-shelf, self-service policy. It started in Pittsburgh and was so successful
he pretty much required it for the rest of them.

Carnegie libraries were also unique in that several of the larger ones had room specifically
for children’s books.

Tucson, Arizona Carnegie Library
Now a Children's Museum

So when I started digging in to small town libraries, I discovered that just about every
library built prior to 1930 was a Carnegie Library. Many of them are still in use today.
Some as libraries, but others as museums, community buildings, elementary schools,
and the like. The closest Carnegie Library to me is in Tucson, Arizona. It’s now in use
as a children’s museum. :-)

-

I’m still working on my Western American books. But I have several Regency-Era romances
available on Amazon. The Regency period is my first love, when it comes to historical novels,
but the growth of small towns in the United States is fast becoming a favorite place for me to play.

Links for Further Reading: 

https://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/50carnegie/50carnegie.htm

http://www.carnegie-libraries.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_library

Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie, by Andrew Carnegie

https://www.downtowntucson.org/locations/tucson-children%E2%80%99s-museum-carnegie-library/