NEWS RELEASE

Carnegie, Pa., April 20 - May 1 marks the 99^th anniversary of the opening of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library. A new book, Great Letters in American History: Words from the Pens of Americans--Great and Small, authored by Rebecca Price Janney, includes the 1898 letter Andrew Carnegie wrote granting $210,000 for construction of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library in Carnegie, Pennsylvania.

The countdown has now begun for the centennial of the opening of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library. Do you have old photographs, library notices, music hall programs, or any other papers or documents relating to the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall?

The Andrew Carnegie Free Library is now beginning a public search for pictures and papers, relating to the history of the Library, Music Hall, Lecture Hall, Espy GAR Post Civil War Museum, and Gymnasium, which members of the community may have in their photo albums, attic, or other storage areas. The Library wishes to borrow any such pictures or papers to have them copied onto the Library's Internet web site, for the whole world to see. ALL PICTURES AND PAPERS BORROWED BY THE LIBRARY WILL BE RETURNED TO THE OWNER!

For many years, all Carnegie High School events took place in the Library Music Hall. Also, for many years Carnegie Borough Council met in the Library's second floor Lecture Hall. Do you have any photographs of, or programs from, any of these events?

The Library would also welcome any written reminisces by patrons of our Library and Music Hall. If you have pictures, papers, or reminisces of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library you would like to share, contact Glenn A. Walsh, Library Life Trustee, at the Library or by telephone: (412) 561-7876.

The Andrew Carnegie Free Library opened as the fourth free public library, constructed and endowed by the industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. In addition to a Library, the cultural complex includes a 788-seat, acoustically perfect Music Hall(patterned after Carnegie Hall in New York City), 140-seat Lecture Hall, Civil War Museum, small in-town park, and discount bookstore.

The Andrew Carnegie Free Library is funded by the Borough of Carnegie, through an annual appropriation of the Borough Council; the Allegheny Regional Asset District, from the one percent sales tax levied in Allegheny County; the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; AND the generous donations given by individuals, non-profit organizations, and businesses in Carnegie and the Chartiers Valley.