Intrigue Of The Carnegie Libraries Of Westchester Explored

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — There was a time when nearly half of the libraries in the U.S. were Carnegie libraries, built with funds supplied by industrialist and tycoon Andrew Carnegie — a new presentation explores the dramatic story behind this push.

The “Carnegie Libraries of Westchester” is the subject of a digital slide presentation presented by the Westchester County Historical Society (WCHS) on September 26, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. WCHS trustee and former librarian Jan Kelsey, who authored an article about the Carnegie Libraries in the winter 2021 issue of The Westchester Historian, will relate the fascinating story in a free Zoom presentation.

Five of the so-called Carnegie libraries were located in Westchester County towns and cities, including Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Ossining, White Plains and Yonkers. Each municipality that accepted the $10,000 to $50,000 gift experienced a unique process rife with challenges. Many other towns chose not to apply, for a variety of unexpected reasons.

Today, Mount Vernon Public Library is the only Carnegie library in Westchester that is still housed in its original building, although the New Rochelle building still stands and is a local landmark, but is now home to a publishing company.

To register for the free Zoom presentation, please email WCHS Co-Director Barbara Davis: barbara@westchesterhistory.com

Established in 1874, the Westchester County Historical Society is one of the oldest historical societies in America and the only organization that collects and promotes the county-wide history of Westchester. The Society’s comprehensive and accessible collection of books, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, maps and atlases, and images pertaining to the history and genealogy of Westchester County is housed in the state-of-the art temperature- and humidity-controlled environment of the Westchester County Records Center located at 2199 Saw Mill River Road, Elmsford, NY, 10523.