Essay on "Carnegie Libraries"

Essay 5 pages (2126 words) Sources: 3

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Andrew Carnegie and the Carnegie Library

Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish born American success story -- an industrialist, businessman, and major philanthropist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of his passions was reading, and the idea that only through education could one improve themselves. To this end, he became on of the greatest library benefactors in history, and 1881 that he would build a library in any city that was prepared to maintain it. By 1907 Carnegies had spent more than $32 million to establish about a thousand libraries through out the country. Certainly, his philanthropy was both unique and exceptional, but it is the legacy of his passion for learning and reading in the Carnegie Library System in the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and Oceania that form his true legacy. In fact, Carnegie libraries form the basic structure of some of the most important libraries and collections in the world -- among which 31 of the original 39 building still form the nucleus of the New York Public Library system.

Born in Dunfermline, Scotland, on November 25, 1835, Andrew Carnegie entered the world in poverty. The son of a hand weaver, Carnegie received his only formal education during the short time between his birth and his move to the United States. When steam machinery for weaving came into use, Carnegie's father sold his looms and household goods, sailing to America with his wife and two sons. At this time, Andrew was twelve, and his brother, Thomas, was five. Arriving into New York on August 14, 1848, aboard the Wiscasset from Glasgow, the Carnegies wasted little time settling in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where relatives already existed and were there to provide help. Allegheny City provided Carnegie's first job, as a bobbin boy in a cotton factory, working for $1.20 a week. His father also worked there while his mother bound shoes at home, making a miniscule amount of money. Although the Carnegies lacked in money, they abounded in ideals and training for their children. At age 15, Carnegie became a telegraph messenger boy in Pittsburgh. He learned to send and decipher telegraphic messages and became a telegraph operator at the age of 17.

Carnegie's next job was as a railroad clerk, working for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He worked his way up the ladder, through his dedication and honest desire to succeed, to become train dispatcher and then division manager. At this time, young Carnegie, age 24, had already made some small investments that laid the foundations of his what would be tremendous fortune. One of these investments was the purchase of stock in the Woodruff Sleeping Car Company. In 1864, Carnegie entered the iron business, but did not begin to make steel until years later. In 1873, he built the Edgar Thomson works in Braddock, Pennsylvania, to make Bessemer steel. He established many other steel plants, and in 1892, he merged all of his interests into the Carnegie Steel Company. This act from Carnegie is fitting with one of his most famous quotations, "Put all of your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket." This firm became one of the greatest industrial enterprises in America. Carnegie later sold it to J.P. Morgan's United States Steel Corporation in 1901 for $400 million, which would be a little over $4 billion in contemporary currency.

After retiring, Carnegie's fortune was estimated to be as large as half a billion dollars. From that time on, with the philosophy that the rich have a moral obligation to give away their money, he devoted himself to philanthropy. Although ironic, this man of great fortune strongly believed in the merits of poverty for the development of character and work ethic, and determined that wealthy men should not leave their fortunes to their children, but should give it away, claiming "The man who dies thus rich, dies disgraced." The picture of community service, Carnegie is quoted as saying, "Pittsburgh entered the core of my heart when I was a boy, and cannot be torn out. I can never be one hair's breadth less loyal to her, or less anxious to help her in any way, than I have been since I could help anything. My treasure is still with you, and how best to serve Pittsburgh is the question which occurs to me almost every day of my life."

Colonel James Anderson, who Carnegie believes to be his childhood benefactor, established a public library in his hometown of Allegheny City. This library was the first opportunity for Carnegie to take advantage of free information, and he developed a vast interest for knowledge, checking out at least one book a week, and developing himself as a young boy. With Colonel Anderson's generous contribution to his society molding Carnegie's childhood, and his beliefs on how large fortunes can be used for the betterment of society, it becomes obvious that Carnegie would focus particularly on promoting education, establishing 2,811 free libraries in all. Of these, 1,946 were located in the United States with at least one in every state except Rhode Island. Also, 660 were founded in Britain and Ireland, 156 in Canada, and a handful of libraries were also scattered in New Zealand, the West Indies, and even Fiji. Caregie's contributions gave existence to his dream of establishing chances of self-education in a time when public libraries were scarce.

The Carnegie libraries, while all unique, do share some similar, and important, characteristics which make them important innovations in the field of library architecture and science. His libraries, which are the greatest single benefaction in library history, have had purpose and results much broader than the mere building of public libraries. Like his rival in large giving, John D. Rockefeller, Carnegie has sought through his giving to stimulate public spirit, to raise standards, and to provide for social betterment, not by way of by-products, but as a chief aim. In order to establish himself as a co-partner in the institution of the local library, though, he uniquely made a fundamental condition to his gift: that the community should provide a site and that adequate maintenance, usually a tithe annually on the cost of the building, This partnership often resulted in a community spirit and sense of ownership in having their own "people's university" and, for many towns even today, a central feature of architectural and community life.

The design of the Carnegie libraries changed forever the way in which patrons interacted with the librarian -- their layout encouraged communication with the staff, and created an opportunity for patrons to browse and discover books and sources on their own. Prior to Carnegie, patrons had to know exactly which book or source they wanted, and ask a clerk to retrieve those books from closed stacks. This important change was instrumental in the public partnership of a Carnegie library.

To preserve the legacy of his libraries, Carnegie established charitable trusts. Hundreds of the library buildings worldwide have been converted into museums, community centers, or office buildings, but over half still serve their communities as libraries. Beginning in the 1930s, as part of President Franklin Roosevelt's recovery plan, many of these buildings were documented and photographed and placed under the Historic American Building Survey and the National Register of Historic Places.

Not only did he give large amounts of money to libraries, but also to other philanthropic organizations, establishing some of his own. The Carnegie Corporation of New York was established for "the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding." The $135 million donated by Carnegie was used in grants to colleges, universities, and other educational institutions. Money also went to organizations that conduct basic research and experimental programs dealing with education and public affairs. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace was founded to promote international peace and understanding, conducting programs of research, discussion, publication, and education in the international affairs and United States foreign policy. Currently the program focuses on issues such as arms control, international law, and relations between the United States and foreign countries. It publishes the quarterly journal, Foreign Policy, and has offices in New York City and Washington, D.C. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching promotes the dignity in the teaching profession and the cause of higher education. Chartered by Carnegie in 1905 with $15 million, the foundation established the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association in 1918, and currently provides retirement pensions for teachers of colleges, technical schools, and universities in the United States and Canada. Their studies have had much influence on American higher education. Also benefiting from Carnegie's charity include various Carnegie museums of history, science, and art, Carnegie Hall in New York, and other public spirited organizations.

Before 1919, when Carnegie died, he had given away $350,695,653, and at his death, the last $30 million was likewise given away to foundations, charities, and pensioners. He left a mark on society not only through his enormous monetary provisions, but also with his own literature.… READ MORE

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