Andrew Carnegie & His Libraries

Punch cartoon Loretta reports:

Andrew Carnegie was one of those rich guys who ended up giving away something close to 90% of his money. This would still leave a large chunk of change, because he was extremely rich, one of the richest Americans of all time.

One of his methods for unloading his money was building libraries. A lot of libraries. I knew nothing about Carnegie libraries until my husband, after one of his photographic expeditions in Worcester, MA, told me the city had three of them. This entry in the The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; Earth edition , explains what they were and the conditions Carnegie required the town to meet.
Greendale BranchIf you scroll down this page of the Worcester Public Library site , you can read the vital statistics about our three Carnegie-funded branches.
Greendale Branch detailMr & Mrs Carnegie attended the cornerstone layings of all three libraries, as described here . I loved that, having come unprepared for a cold, raw, Worcester day, Mr. Carnegie stopped at a store to get rubbers. Here’s more about that day , complete with illustrations and links. It’s well worth reading, for a glimpse into the past, and some idealism we could use today.
South Worcester BranchThe Greendale Branch , now renamed, is still a library.
The Quinsigamond Branch is now part of a school.
The South Worcester Branch has been converted to private residences.
South Worcester Branch detailIs there a Carnegie Library in your town? Look around. You might be surprised, as I was.