Carnegie Public Library (East Liverpool, Ohio)
Encyclopedia
The Carnegie Public Library in East Liverpool
East Liverpool, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,089 people, 5,261 households, and 3,424 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,010.3 people per square mile . There were 5,743 housing units at an average density of 1,320.8 per square mile...

, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 is a public library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...

 located at 219 East Fourth Street. The construction of the library, which opened in 1902, was funded by industrialist and philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...

 Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...

, who spent a large part of his childhood in East Liverpool. Along with the Steubenville, Ohio
Steubenville, Ohio
Steubenville is a city located along the Ohio River in Jefferson County, Ohio on the Ohio-West Virginia border in the United States. It is the political county seat of Jefferson County. It is also a principal city of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area...

 library, it was the first library in Ohio funded by Carnegie. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 in March 1980.

Beginnings

In 1899 T.Y. Travis and M.E. Miskall contacted Andrew Carnegie asking him for a donation of a library for East Liverpool. Carnegie pledged $50,000 for the building of the library on the stipulation that the city would provide land and $3,000 a year for maintenance. In August 1899 the Bradshaw Farm property was purchased by a group of citizens of East Liverpool and held in trust until the city could purchase it.
Construction of the library began in 1900. It was built with Roman mottled buff-brown brick trimmed with white tile. The lobby is of ceramic mosaic, the wainscoting of Italian marble and the solid brass hardware. Charles Henry Owsley, a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...

 architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

 who had immigrated to Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

, designed the building.

As the library neared completion donations of good, worthwhile books were requested. The first librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...

 hired to run the library was Gertrude A. Baker of Mt. Vernon, Ohio.

On May 8, 1902, the library was dedicated and officially opened to the public. At this time the 2,505 volumes from the other city library were transferred to the Carnegie Library.

A year after the opening, the librarian reported that there were 5,992 volumes and 2,081 members. In the first year, according to the librarian, the library was so popular with patrons that it loaned more books each month than were actually in the library.

Early years

Until 1931, the library experienced financial difficulties. In that year, however, the library became eligible for county funds. Since then the library has operated through state and county funds.

In 1907 the local historical society established a museum in the West Room of the second floor and then later expanded to include pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...

 displays in the East Room displaying works from over 50 local potteries. The museum and pottery displays remained in the library until the Museum of Ceramics was opened in the 1970s.

The upper East Room of the library was used by the Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...

 for project work such as rolling bandages during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

.

The library possessed 25,000 volumes by 1940, but none were catalogued. Kenneth Emerick was hired in 1950 to perform the cataloguing duties when the library holdings had reached 36,000 volumes. He worked until 1955 when the work was taken over by Beatrice Davidson. The library collection was increasing at a rate of approximately 4,000 volumes per year. By the mid-1960's there were 75,000 volumes, all catalogued. By 1975, the library held 120,000 volumes.

The library took part in the Ohio Victory Book Campaign during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. The goal of the campaign was to provide good reading material to the servicemen. In six weeks more than 3,000 books were collected.

In 1946 a summer reading program for children was initiated.

In 1956 the library received a donation of 250 microfilms of the local newspaper dating back to 1885.

Renovations

A number of renovation projects took place during the 1950s and early 1960s. Over 12 years the cost was approximately $75,000. As part of the renovations, the custodian's home was removed and replaced by a Trustee Meeting Room (the Board Room), and a historical display area. A stack room was created in an excavated portion of the basement. New shelving was installed for the growing collection and furniture for the reading room was purchased. A new circulation
Library circulation
Library circulation or library lending comprises the activities around the lending of library books and other material to users of a lending library. A circulation or lending department is one of the key departments of a library....

 desk and circulation system were also installed. In 1961 the rear entrance was remodeled. The administrative offices were moved to the basement replacing the area previously occupied by the historical displays. A teen area was created on the main floor where the offices had been.

The library also underwent renovations in the 1990s. In order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act an elevator and handicap accessibility were installed. Shelving was replaced and the Non-Fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...

 and Reference collections were moved to vacant rooms on the second floor. All the furniture from the renovations of the 1950's was replaced. Oak tables were refinished and new lighting was installed throughout the library. Additionally, a new circulation desk and computerized circulation and catalogue system were installed. Approximately $1,300,000 were spent over a three-year span for renovations.
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