#carnegie libraries

Terrazzo entryway in the old Carnegie Library, Crawfordsville, IN. Now the Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County.

Businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated and built over 2,500 libraries worldwide between 1883 and 1929. The state of Ohio is ranked fifth in the nation for its number of Carnegie libraries with Cincinnati originally boasting nine libraries total. Today, Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library are still operating seven Carnegie branches. Our current Carnegie branches include: Avondale, Corryville, Hyde Park, Northside, Norwood, Price Hill and Walnut Hills. Cincinnati’s first Carnegie to open was Walnut Hills branch in 1906, with the others following soon after. Walnut Hills branch is currently part of Building the Next Generation Library plan and will see many updates including more square footage and greater accessibility. 

To see more updates on the Walnut Hills branch, check out https://bit.ly/3BFoPZl  

Franklin Library

Renovations, started last fall, have finished at Franklin Library. Originally opened in 1914, Franklin is the oldest library building in the Hennepin County Library system. 

Franklin was the first library built during a spur of Minneapolis library expansion in the 1910s. Minneapolis Public Library director Gratia Countryman advocated the construction of more library branches throughout the city to bring the library closer to its patrons. Countryman’s goal of more community libraries coincided with steel magnate Andrew Carnegie’s goal of supporting public library construction. Carnegie donated money to communities nationwide for the purpose of constructing library buildings. It was up to the local community to supply the land, staff the library, and plan for its continued service. In 1912, Carnegie gave Minneapolis $125,000 for the construction of four libraries. The first to open was the new Franklin Library, which cost roughly $40,000 to construct. By 1916, Minneapolis had all four Carnegie libraries--Franklin, Sumner, Central Avenue (closed in 1973), and Hosmer.

Franklin Library and Franklin Learning Center

Since its opening in 1914, the Franklin Library has served a diverse population of patrons. In its earliest years, a heavy portion of the library’s users were Norwegian and Swedish immigrants. In the branch’s 1915 annual report, librarian Ethel Berry described the library’s efforts to accommodate their non-English speaking, Scandinavian patrons. The library held a substantial collection of Scandinavian books and periodicals and provided library materials printed in Scandinavian languages. Franklin Library’s work was so prevalent that the Scandinavian librarian of the branch, Emma B. Nilsson, received “requests for help in Scandinavian book selection...from libraries in many other states.” The 1919 annual report describes classes hosted by the library for women learning English and a planned series of lectures on citizenship for February and March of 1920.

As the population surrounding the Franklin Library has diversified over the past century, the branch’s dedication to serving the particular needs of its patrons has continued to grow. In 1988, Franklin Library expanded its service to the community by opening the Franklin Learning Center. Franklin Learning Center provides assistance to adult learners, many of whom are immigrants. Working with library staff and volunteer tutors, learners study English, math, science, and social studies; gain computer and basic life skills; and prepare for the GED exam and citizenship test. Franklin Learning Center facilitates a positive and encouraging atmosphere, taking pride in and celebrating the accomplishments of its learners - whether it be a new job opportunity, passing the GED, or newly acquired citizenship.

The Franklin Library is dedicated to serving its community, no matter the obstacle. A simple example to illustrate the point: the announcement regarding Franklin Library’s closing for renovation in October is written in four different languages to ensure clear communication with its diverse patrons. The renovation is projected to be completed in early 2020 and the Franklin Library staff and volunteers will return to providing their patrons with these valuable services.

Hosmer Library (Re)Opens

Hosmer Library reopens today--August 15--after a yearlong renovation project. A ceremonial ribbon cutting celebration will take place on August 19 at 5:30 p.m. 

In honor of the reopening of Hosmer, we’re taking a look back at the library’s grand opening on March 8, 1916. Augusta Starr, the first librarian at Hosmer (then called the Thirty-Sixth Street Branch), recorded many of the big day’s events in her journal. The festivities included a daytime children’s celebration with “songs, talks, and storytelling” and an evening celebration where the “room filled and more [were] turned away at the door.” The next day, the library started checking out books. Out of 3,178 books on the shelf when the library opened, 385 had been checked out by the end of the day!

Interested in learning more about Hosmer’s history? Join us October 24, 10-11 a.m. at Hosmer Library for “Libraries Then and Now: Historic Hosmer Library.” Discover the 100+ year story of the final Carnegie Library built in Minneapolis and explore artifacts from the library’s archives with the Special Collection Department’s archivist. This program is offered in participation with Minneapolis Community Education.