(10-18-26) The Rockford Carnegie Library is excited to announce the receipt of $10,000 from the Carnegie Foundation as part of the Carnegie Libraries 250 special initiative. 

The Foundation gifted the remaining 1,310 Carnegie libraries that still operate as libraries–either in their orignial building or with a clear link to their Carnegie heritage–$10,000 grants to use as they saw fit to benefit their libraries.  The $10,000 will be used to help defray the cost of a planned picnic shelter/outdoor classroom area behind the library. 

This improvement is much needed as our original Carnegie library building is literally bursting at the seams when it comes to space for children’s programming activities.  The picnic shelter/outdoor classroom area will provide a much-needed activity area for our many children visiting the library.

Pictured Library Director Shelby Muhlenkamp along with our portrait of founding benefactor, Andrew Carnegie.  Mr. Carnegie reputedly earned the nickname of “Patron Saint of Libraries” as he is remembered for fostering the beginnings of more than 1,700 free public libraries in the United States, of which 1,310 remain.  Mr. Carnegie’s portrait hangs proudly in the main reading area of the library.

If you haven’t visited the Rockford Carnegie Library lately, please stop by and see what all we have to offer.