According to the Carnegie Corporation, approximately 1,280 public libraries that were constructed as Carnegie Libraries still operate today. They include the Pittsburg Public Library and Girard Public Library in Kansas and the Webb City Public Library in Missouri. Carnegie donated money to the three institutions between 1905 and 1913.
The directors of the three libraries all said the gift came as a surprise, and that the only prior contact they had with the Carnegie Corporation was during the summer.
“It was just a basic conversation,” GPL Director Barbara Bailey said. “They were just getting contact information and had a few questions about the library.”
The libraries then received emails last week from the corporation with the news that they’d be getting a $10,000 check in January 2026. According to PPL Director Bev Clarkson, the email originally went to her spam folder.
“It seemed suspicious that someone was offering $10,000 as a gift and ‘click this link,’ so I didn't even get it until the next day when I went back and looked through my spam folder,” she said. “Then I contacted the Carnegie Corporation, and yes indeed it was the real thing.”
A press release from the Carnegie Corporation states that the gifts are a part of a $20 million initiative to support “institutions and organizations that foster civic participation and bring people together.”
“They want to continue to support libraries,” Clarkson said. “It's been well over 100 years, but they're still supporting libraries.”
There are no stipulations on what the libraries use the money for. Bailey and Clarkson both said they have ideas that will be discussed with their board members in the coming months, but both said they will choose a use that best serves their communities.
At the Webb City Public Library, Director Jake Johnson said the money will most likely go towards buying new books and funding additional programming.
“We usually have a very limited budget to purchase materials and host programming,” he said. “It's nice that this will give us a little bit extra in order to be able to give more back to our community.”
PPL, GPL and WCPL are a part of the approximately 750 Carnegie Libraries that are still in their original buildings constructed in the early 20th century. An interactive map showing every Carnegie Library can be found on the Carnegie Corporation’s website.
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