-Andrew Carnegie, 1881
The Carnegie Libraries of Waterloo Region
Carnegie Libraries in Ontario
Well-known American entrepreneur and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie funded 111 Carnegie Libraries across Ontario in the early 1900’s. Since then, some have been demolished; others have been designated as heritage buildings and some are still being used at public libraries.
The Waterloo Region
In the Waterloo Region, eight Carnegie Libraries were built between the years of 1902 and 1912. These communities are indebted to the money and support provided by Andrew Carnegie. In many instances a separate library building did not exist in these communities and without Carnegie's support, the establishment of these facilities may not have been possible. This is the story of how brick by brick these libraries came to be and how these communities commitment to literacy and lifelong learning began.
