Full Description
Over one hundred years ago, public libraries were a rarity on America's Main Streets. One huge philanthropic gesture of wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie forever changed this, as he donated library funds to cities and towns across the country. In 1893, the first Carnegie library opened in Fairfield, Iowa. Today, the 1,688 Carnegie libraries are the single largest group of historic buildings - nationally and in each state - standing as libraries, museums, or historic icons. Illustrates the variety of architectural styles of Carnegie libraries nationwide Indexed by state, place, and building, including street address, date of construction, and current use of each library Features 75 black and white photographs THEODORE JONES (New York, New York) is a writer and editor of architecture, preservation and housing issues for The New York Times (American Homestyle) and the Times-Mirror Magazine Groups Home Mechanix. He was formerly a journalist for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Contents
Andrew Carnegie: Private Fortune and Public Life. Building a Public Library System. The Carnegie Library Program: Carnegie, Bertram and Community Grants. Responding to Carnegie's Library Grants. The Architecture of Carnegie Libraries. Life in a Carnegie Library Building. Carnegie Libraries One Hundred Years Later.
