85 public library buildings. 10
academic library buildings.
Andrew Carnegie's legacy endures in the six New England states.
Click here to
join a tour, or click here to conduct a
search.
| You'll find pages that include old
and new photos and brief histories of each library. No two are exactly
alike. Each site carries a story as unique as its architectural style.
And while the focus here is on the physical structures, we should not forget
that a host of local and regional people were involved in each and every
endeavor: no matter how small the town, no matter how large the city.
Click here to
start your tour.
|
Mr. Carnegie watches over
the Athol Public Library
patrons |
As of April 6,
2009, New England's original 95 Carnegie library buildings were being
used in the following manner:
| status |
Carnegie
Public Libraries |
Carnegie
Academic Libraries |
| Are still libraries |
68 |
6 |
| Have new uses |
11 |
4 |
| Vacant / uncertain |
3 |
|
| No longer standing |
3 |
|
| TOTAL |
85 |
10 |
To have lost only three buildings over the course of a century may
speak to the power of history in New England. Click
here to learn more details.
At least 20 of New
England's Carnegie libraries are listed on the National Register of
Historic Places.
To see the libraries represented here, you need only
choose one of the search options located along the left-hand side of this
screen. If you want to just cruise through the list without stopping, you
should take the VirTual Tour.
If
you don't know much about Mr. Carnegie, click
here to read a biography posted by the Carnegie Corporation.
Click
here to read of
his legacy, including his commitment to libraries and lifelong learning.
Many thanks go out to the librarians and historians
who provided details and photos about the buildings they enter every day.
This project would be incomplete without their help. All photos and
postcards are from the compiler's own collection, unless otherwise credited.
Happy visiting!
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