There is not such a cradle of democracy upon the earth as the Free Public Library, this republic of letters, where neither rank, office, nor wealth receives the slightest consideration.
~ Andrew Carnegie
Carnegie Libraries were free public libraries built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
The first of Carnegie’s public libraries, Dunfermline Carnegie Library, was constructed in his birthplace, Dunfermline, Scotland.
A total of 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems. 1,689 were built in the United States, 660 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, 125 in Canada, and others in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Serbia, Belgium, France, the Caribbean, Mauritius, Malaysia, and Fiji.
Thank you for this excellent celebration of libraries, librarians and most important, showing library users. PG is all right by me, as I am a public librarian.
You’re welcome, Stephen.