Public Hearing Before Glenn A. Walsh

Pittsburgh City Council: P.O. Box 1041

City Designated Historic Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.

Structure Status For Telephone: 412-561-7876

Andrew Carnegie-Built Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >

Homewood Branch Library Internet Web Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >

2004 June 30

Good afternoon. I am Glenn A. Walsh of 633 Royce Avenue, Mount Lebanon. Today, I am representing no formal organization.

From 1995-2000, I served as a Life Trustee, on the Board of Trustees, of one of Andrew Carnegie’s original libraries: the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, which opened in 1901. I served as the Library’s Treasurer from 1995-1996. I was the Consulting Editor for the April, 1999 issue of Cobblestone, a national history magazine for children; the theme of this issue was the life and philanthropies of Andrew Carnegie. And, I maintain an educational web site, on the Internet, on the History of Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Libraries: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >.

The Homewood Branch Library, a well-known and loved landmark in the Homewood-Brushton community, has recently received a $3.5 million rehabilitation by The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. In addition to the library, this building includes a large auditorium and other meeting rooms on the third floor.

This library was built in the neighborhood where several industrialists once lived, including Andrew Carnegie and his brother Thomas. Henry Clay Frick’s very historic home, Clayton, is only a few blocks away, now part of the Frick Art and Historical Center.

I want to commend the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation for nominating the Hazelwood, Homewood, Lawrenceville, Mt. Washington, and West End Branches, of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, to the status of City Designated Historic Structure. With the successful completion of this designation process, all original, Andrew Carnegie-built library buildings, which have been used as libraries in Pittsburgh this year, will be protected by the Pittsburgh Historic Review Ordinance.

This is important, because it is the system of neighborhood library branches throughout the City, originally envisioned by Andrew Carnegie, which is of major historical significance. Andrew Carnegie, through his very generous library funding, popularized the neighborhood branch library system, not just for Pittsburgh, but for the world. And, it all began right here in Pittsburgh!

I strongly recommend that Pittsburgh City Council approve Bill No. 282, conferring the status of City Designated Historic Structure on the Homewood Branch of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Thank you.

gaw