Banner Journal (Black River Falls, Jackson Co., WI.)

November 21, 2007, Page B-1

Transcribed by: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

19^th century industrialist donates to public libraries

Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie was a 19^th century industrialist who worked his way up from poverty to being the owner of a steel mill in Pittsburg.  The company eventually became U. S. Steel.

As a youth, he and other working boys were allowed to borrow books from the library of Colonel James Anderson. There wasn’t a public library system in the country at that time, so Carnegie remembered how important it has been to him to have the chance to borrow the books.

When he retired, Carnegie began to give away his money.  His trust funds helped build nearly three thousand public libraries all over the English-speaking world.

At one time, Wisconsin had 63 Carnegie library buildings.  While a number have been torn down, a few still serve as libraries.  Others are now used as civic centers, museums, offices or restaurants.

The Carnegie building housed the Black River Falls Public Library’s collection from 1915 until 1995.

(The above information was found on the National Park Service Web site at www.nps.gov , America’s Libraries Web site at www.americaslibrary.gov , the Notable Biographies Web site at www.notablebiographies.com and from the Black River Falls Public Library.