Statement before Glenn
A. Walsh
Historic Review Commission:
Nomination of Five
Libraries
for City Telephone:
412-561-7876
Designated
Historic Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >
Structure
Status Internet
Web Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
2004
February 4
Good afternoon. I am Glenn A.
Walsh of
First, I want to commend the
Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation for nominating the Hazelwood,
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
Andrew Carnegie proposed a
neighborhood branch library system for
“The experience of
In his letter, Andrew
Carnegie mentions that
However, it was here in
Andrew Carnegie felt very
strongly that neighborhood branch libraries were as important, if not more
important, than the Main Library. When the City of
“We find in
And, Andrew Carnegie felt
strongly that a public library should be recognized by the people as a special
place, where a person can improve their lot in life. He insisted that all of
the branch libraries he built would be “monumental in character.” He certainly
did not want these libraries to be perceived as just another establishment in a
retail district.
So, they were all built to be
separate, detached structures, built in a “monumental” character. The branches
in Hazelwood,
The purpose of today’s public
hearing is to determine whether the nominated buildings are qualified to become
City Designated Historic Structures. When first proposed for construction in
1890, there is no doubt that the
Due to these facts, all of the original, Andrew
Carnegie-built neighborhood branch libraries are extremely significant to the
history of the development of public libraries in this nation. The five
libraries nominated for historic designation are part of a library system that
changed the delivery of library services throughout the world! Hence, these
five libraries are very deserving of the status of City Designated Historic
Structure. Thank you.
gaw