We all know Andrew Carnegie and his legacy on libraries. And this location was part of his journey! From the library’s website: “In 1860, looking to escape the smoke of Downtown Pittsburgh, Andrew Carnegie and his brother Thomas moved to Homewood, which was then a mostly rural area. Carnegie encouraged his associates to relocate to Homewood. Several of them did, including Henry Clay Frick, George Westinghouse and H.J. Heinz. The elite of Homewood were an exclusive group, though they were conscious of their responsibility to the area. Their legacy in Homewood remains in the form of Westinghouse Park, Frick Park and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Homewood.”
The building is beautiful! From their website: “In 1910, CLP – Homewood opened. It was one of the largest and best endowed Carnegie Libraries in the country, and the last library Carnegie built in Pittsburgh. As the Board of Trade hoped, the Library has been used for countless educational, cultural and social events. Equipped with a large collection of materials, spacious reading rooms and meeting spaces, and a 300-seat auditorium, CLP – Homewood has been serving the community for over 100 years.”
Look how beautiful this is! I love the snowflake(?) art fixture. But those beautiful high ceilings, the wooden inset shelves filled with books, the gorgeous big windows? It’s just what a beautiful old library building should look like.
Ooooooooh! Look at that beautiful stained glass window that is clearly for a library, because it has book shelves! Add that to the books on display, the DVDs all ready to go, and the advertising for the upcoming Jazz on the Steps program!!!
I’m kind of fainting with how much I love these built-in shelves. They are clearly beautiful, clearly original, and just filled with books. I waited until this patron walked away from their table - I promise I did not shoo them away just so I could get this picture! It’s a good thing there was such a high ceiling with lots of space up there, because the floor was filled with books. Love it!
And look! A collection of comfortable seats, set up some there could be conversation and people enjoying themselves together in the library. I see people gathered around, clutching their books, and talking about all kinds of fun things.
And even the computers are on beautiful tables!
Many years ago, in my first library, we were given Gates Foundation grants of computers - but that didn’t include furniture. We were in a very poor community, and didn’t have spare money to buy furniture. So I was fortunate to hook up with a local Big Drug Company, that gave out their used furniture to nonprofits, including us. I spent a memorable Saturday afternoon standing on tables, drilling holes in them so I could run wires up from the floor.
I mention all of this, because I notice that although these computers are kind of crowded, the table is much better set up than mine were. Having an actual computer table is definitely cool, and so useful for the staff and the patrons!
I had walked down to this library, and it was HOT that day. So before I strolled back to my car I stopped by the Everyday Cafe for a green smoothie. (It makes me feel like I’ve had my veggies if I’m drinking something with spinach in it.) While I was waiting, LOOK AT THAT PHTOGRAPH! It’s the library I just visited!!!! I was beyond delighted! (I mentioned it to the staff, who were extremely polite to me about it; but…less excited than I was.)
Weirdly, this is the SECOND time this has happened on this trip! I really need to spend more time visiting local small restaurants after I visit libraries? Probably! (I’m hungry.)
So, I guess today is a good day to try something healthy. Maybe with spinach. Maybe a new thing at a local restaurant! I’m off to look for a nice salad.
What a beautiful library! Looks so well kept too.