Our Take: Public needs greater access to the Carnegie

The Carnegie Library is a gem of our downtown infrastructure. 

Built in 1904 with funds donated by the prominent entrepreneur and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and matching funds from the city, the structure provided access to literature and other reading material never before imagined in a small rural community. For decades, residents young and old, flocked to the building to check out the latest book or information. 

In short, the Carnegie was a cultural hub, promoting literacy and showing the importance of investments for public resources. 

Across the United States, nearly 1,700 such libraries were constructed in cities, schools and universities. Today only a fraction of those structures remain. To have one here, still standing strong with many of the original architectural features, is a testament to our local leadership and efforts to preserve our history. However, not much is being done to give the greater public access to the building. 

Since the Dublin-Laurens County Museum was moved from the structure more than a decade ago, the building has served as special event space available to rent from the Downtown Development Authority. It’s understandable that the building needs to be generating revenue. Maintaining a 120-year-old building takes a lot of money, more than the city can regularly provide on its own. The volunteer group Friends of the Carnegie has been instrumental in the preservation of the old library. 

It would be interesting to see just how many bookings the Carnegie building has had recently, but there doesn’t seem to be a large market for business meetings or weddings at the venue. Most office buildings provide better amenities than the Carnegie, and the generation of young residents getting married now have no personal connection to the building. 

Helping wrap up this year’s St. Patrick’s Festival was a celebration marking the 120th anniversary of the construction of the Carnegie Library. The event served as a public reminder that the building was available for public use. 

As we move into the next chapter of the Carnegie’s history, we encourage the city and the DDA to find ways for free, public access to the building. Offer it to the library for children’s programs, host events for our senior citizens or, maybe, allow the museum, which has now closed and is being removed from the historic house on Bellevue Avenue, to display items. 

Who knows? A little décor may help attract some renters.