The Carnegie Institute and Library of Pittsburgh/Chapter 2
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EAST LIBERTY BRANCH
A FEW FACTS ABOUT THE
CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is a free public reference and circulating library founded by Andrew Carnegie and maintained by the city of Pittsburgh.
HISTORY
1890. Mr Carnegie gave to the city $1,000,000, later increased to $1,100,000, for a Central Library building and branch buildings.
November 5, 1895. Central Library opened with 16,000 volumes and a staff of 16.
1898 to 1910. Eight branch libraries opened.
1901. Carnegie Library School opened.
Until April 1916 this was called the Training School for Childrens Librarians.
1899 to 1903. Mr Carnegie gave $5,000,000 for enlarging the Central Library building.
April 11, 1907. Enlarged building opened to the public.
The Central Library building stands on Forbes Street at the entrance to Schenley Park. It is built Of light gray sandstone in a modification of the Italian renaissance style. It measures 400 feet on Forbes Street and 600 feet along its east side, covering approximately four acres.
The Carnegie Library and the Carnegie Institute, although closely affiliated, are separate organizations. The Library is maintained by the city of Pittsburgh; the Institute, consisting of the Department of Fine Arts, the Museum, the Carnegie Institute of Technology, and the Carnegie Library School, is endowed by Mr Carnegie. The Library is governed by a board of 18 trustees, who are also ex-officio members of the Institute board of 36. Three departments of the Institute, the Art galleries, the Museum, and the Library School, are in the Carnegie Library building; the Carnegie Institute of Technology has its own buildings.
DEPARTMENTS OF THE LIBRARY
Executive Department, on first floor at left of west entrance, occupied by the Librarian, his secretary and clerks.
Lending Department, on first floor opposite west entrance, a large room lined with shelves containing about 12,000 volumes freely accessible to all readers. 90,000 more .png)
HOMEWOOD BRANCH
volumes for circulation are kept in the book stack adjoining. A complete card catalogue of circulating books is kept in this department.
The book stack is 11 stories high, capacity about 800,000 volumes. It is fire proof and as nearly dust proof as possible. All windows are hermetically sealed and the air is washed before being forced into the stack. An automatic electric elevator connects all floors.
Reference Department, on second floor. The room is 91 x 44 feet with a wing 68 x 32 feet. It is furnished with 20 reading tables, and chairs for 136 persons. On shelves about the walls are 10,000 volumes free of access to all. Over 65,000 more volumes are in the stack. A complete card catalogue of all reference and circulating books is kept here. This department is at the service of those desiring information along any line. The special work of its seven assistants is to look up material and prepare reference lists for individuals and clubs, and to answer inquiries by letter and telephone.
Special collections in Reference and Lending Departments:
| Reference | Volumes | ||
| Bernd collection, Architecture | 2,768 | ||
| Merz collection, Music | 2,000 | ||
| Philatelic collection (estimated) | 550 | ||
| Reference and Lending | |||
| Schwartz collection, Ethics | 1,808 | ||
| Stuart collection, Single tax | 90 | ||
| Pittsburgh imprints (estimated) | 2,000 | ||
| Mounted photographs | 2,581 | ||
| Lending | |||
| Music, scores | 1,319 | ||
| Embossed books for the blind | 2,034 | ||
The Periodical Reading Room, seating 114, is also on the second floor. It contains current numbers of 1,060 periodicals and 123 newspapers, to which readers have free access.
Technology Department, occupying five rooms on the third floor, seating capacity, 250. There is shelf space for 14,000 volumes. The catalogue of this department includes all reference and circulating books in the Library on scientific and technical subjects. The collection is especially strong in the literature of chemistry, engineering, metallurgy and patents. More than 400 technical and trade periodicals are received regularly, and many of the files are complete. There are loose-leaf and card indexes to more than 200 engineering journals, and separate card catalogues are kept up to date for each of the following sets:
- Publications of United States Department of Agriculture.
- Publications of State Agricultural Experiment Stations.
- Topographic sheets of United States Geological Survey.
- More than 8,000 trade catalogues.
- (Under firm name, and subject.)
- About 300 house organs.
- (Under firm name, subject, and title.)
It is the purpose of the Technology staff to enhance the value of the collection by giving personal assistance to readers.
Childrens Department, on first floor, south wing. Here are located the offices of the department, three children's reading rooms, the children’s study room and the teachers’ reading room. The work of the department is not confined to the children’s rooms at the Central Library and branches. It has a collection of 31,000 books for children’s reading which are circulated only through the city schools. It also places small collections of books, called home libraries, in many parts of the tenement district, where little reading clubs are conducted among a class of children who would not otherwise enjoy the use of the Library.
The Carnegie Library School, which is under the management of the Library, is also in this wing. Its object is to train young women for library work with children. More than 250 of its former students are now serving as children’s librarians in various parts of the country.
Order and Catalogue Departments, occupying two large rooms on the second floor. The Order Department has charge of the purchase and receipt of books. The Catalogue Department classifies and catalogues all books and prepares them for the shelves, keeping up to date the 21 card catalogues at the Central Library and branches.
Printing and Binding Department, in the basement, south wing. The printing of all library publications, catalogue cards and forms, and the binding of the books and magazines are done here. In i915 there were printed 82,892 copies of catalogue cards, 1,137,698 copies of forms, also 44,983 copies of Library publications, representing 1,756,878 page impressions. During the same year 47,893 volumes were bound, rebound or repaired.
Publications of the Library. The principal publications are the Monthly Bulletin of additions to the Library, published regularly except in August and September; Classified Catalogue of all books in the Library, 1895-I911, 8 volumes, 9,385 pages; Catalogue of books in the Childrens Department; Annual reports, and a number of special catalogues and reference lists. A full list of publications now in print may be seen in the current issue of the Monthly Bulletin.
WHO MAY USE THE LIBRARY
- All residents and tax-payers of Pittsburgh.
- Non-residents employed in the city.
- Other non-residents on payment of $1 a year.
- Non-resident clubs on payment of $3 a year.
- Teachers and students of educational institutions in the city.
- Temporary residents on deposit of $5.
The use of the Reference and Technology Departments is free to all, whether residents of Pittsburgh or not.
Those who cannot come to the Library may send their requests for information by mail or telephone.
Branch libraries: Lawrenceville, West End, Wylie Avenue, Mount Washington, Hazelwood, East Liberty, South Side, Homewood.
ADMINISTRATION
- President of the Board of Trustees: S. H. Church.
- Chairman of the Library Committee: J. J. Turner.
- Librarian: Harrison W. Craver.
STATISTICS
From the annual report for the year ending December 31, 1915.
| Number of volumes in Library | 422,201 | |
| Number of volumes in Central Library | 279,550 | |
| Total home circulation | 1,355,980 | |
| Number of volumes used in Reference Room | 203,634 | |
| Number of volumes used in Technology Room | 168,960 | |
| Number of visitors to Reference Room | 50,645 | |
| Number of visitors to Periodical Room | 83,939 | |
| Number of visitors to Technology Room | 33,539 | |
| Number of visitors to Branch reading rooms | 634,747 | |
| Total | 802,870 | |
| Number of borrowers' cards in force | 113,659 | |
| Numbers of persons on staff (not including janitors, engineers, etc.) | 200 | |
| Number of persons on staff, Central Library alone. | 130 | |
| City appropriation. | $200,000 | |