Over one hundred years ago, public libraries were a rarity on America's Main Streets. One huge philanthropic gesture of wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie forever changed this, as he donated library funds to cities and towns across the country. In 1893, the first Carnegie library opened in Fairfield, Iowa. Today, the 1,688 Carnegie libraries are the single largest group of historic buildings in America and in each state -- standing as libraries, museums, or historic icons.
-- Illustrates the variety of architectural styles of Carnegie libraries nationwide
-- Indexed by state, place, and building, including street address, date of construction, and current use of each library
-- Features 75 black-and-white photographs