A Carnegie Library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
The Council Bluffs Public Library serves the residents of Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States along with unincorporated and rural areas of Pottawattamie County. Several cities also contract with the library to provide services. It dates back to 1866. The library is currently located on Willow Avenue. The previous library building on Pearl Street was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
The Carnegie Library Building in Carroll, Iowa, United States, is a building from 1905. The 60-by-38.5-foot structure was designed in the Prairie School style by Omaha architect Thomas R. Kimball. The Carnegie Corporation of New York had accepted Carroll's application for a grant for $10,000 on February 12, 1903. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The Perry Carnegie Library Building, also known as the Carnegie Library Museum, is a historic structure located in Perry, Iowa, United States. The Perry Library Association was established in 1894, and William Tarr served as its first librarian. Andrew Carnegie accepted Perry's application for a grant for $10,600 on January 13, 1903. The Des Moines architectural firm of Liebbe, Nourse & Rasmussen designed the Neoclassical building that was built by local contractor Courtney and Bolt. It opened in September 1904 was dedicated on December 10.
Alden Public Library is located in Alden, Iowa, United States. The community's first library association was formed in 1882, and they acquired 225 books. The annual membership fee to use the library was $1. It was discontinued within two years, and Alden's second library association was formed in 1885 by women in the community. In time they were able to build their own building in 1892 and convince the city government to take over its support. Shortly after the city took over they contacted the Carnegie Foundation, who funded the construction of a new building with a $9,000 grant. It was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Wetherell & Gage, and shows Beaux Arts styling. The new building was dedicated on August 26, 1914. It is believed to be one of the smallest Carnegie libraries ever built. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Emmetsburg Public Library was at a historic building located in Emmetsburg, Iowa, United States. A former Carnegie library, it sits on the square behind the Palo Alto County Courthouse. Andrew Carnegie had accepted Emmetsburg's application for a grant for $10,000 on February 20, 1911. The building is significant for its architecture. It was designed by Bloomington, Illinois architect A.T. Simmons and completed in 1912. The brick, side gable structure has a projecting entrance on the long side of the building. A string course encircles the building, engaging the lintels of the windows. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The Clarinda Carnegie Library, now known as the Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum, is a historic building located in Clarinda, Iowa, United States. The Clarinda Public Library was organized in 1905. The library board applied for a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York for $15,000 on February 21, 1907. W.W. Welch was the architect of the Carnegie library building that was dedicated on April 15, 1909. In time the building became too small. The Lied Foundation of Las Vegas donated $1 million towards a new facility, and a special election held in October 2002 allowed the city to borrow the same amount for a new building. Groundbreaking for the new building took place on May 28, 2003, and the new Lied Public Library was opened on October 11, 2004. The old library building has been transformed into an art museum, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
The Red Oak Public Library is located in Red Oak, Iowa, United States. Andrew Carnegie accepted the city's application for a grant for $12,500 on November 27, 1906. The Chicago architectural firm of Patton & Miller designed the Tudor Revival structure. It was dedicated on October 8, 1909.
Fairfield Public Library is located in Fairfield, Iowa, United States. A library association was founded by a group of local men in 1853, and funded by dues from its members. It was housed in several different buildings for the first 40 years. U.S. Senator James F. Wilson from Fairfield was instrumental in obtaining a grant from Andrew Carnegie for a building of its own. The grant for $40,000 was accepted on January 15, 1892. It was the first Carnegie Library outside of Western Pennsylvania and the first of 101 built in Iowa. It was also one the few libraries Carnegie funded without stipulations concerning its use, public support, or design. The building was designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by Kansas City architect C. Stafford. It was officially opened on Friday, September 29, 1893, and it was dedicated on November 28 of the same year. The association continued to run the library until 1899 when voters approved a referendum to support it with taxes. The building has been altered in the ensuing years, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The library moved to a new building in 1996, and the historic building is now home to the Jefferson County Service Center of Indian Hills Community College.
The Maquoketa Public Library is located in Maquoketa, Iowa, United States. The Maquoketa Literary Society was organized as early as 1851, and the Boardman Library Institute was founded in 1885. The community applied to the Carnegie Corporation of New York for a grant to build a free public library, and on March 14, 1902 they were awarded $12,500. The total cost of acquiring the property and constructing the building was $15,000, which they raised by public contributions and entertainments. Independence, Iowa architect Harry Netcott designed the Neoclassical building. It is a single-story brick structure that rests on a raised limestone basement. Bedford stone was used for the trim. It features a symmetrical facade, with columns in the Ionic order that frame the portico. The interior features a columned rotunda. It was dedicated on January 19, 1904. The Boardman Library Institute merged with the Free Public Library after the new building was completed. The roofline was altered slightly when a new roof was added around the middle of the 20th century.
The Vinton Public Library is located in Vinton, Iowa, United States. The community applied to the Carnegie Corporation of New York for a grant to build a public library, and on January 22, 1903 they were awarded $12,500. It was one of 22 public libraries in Iowa that were built with Carnegie grants that year, the most in the history of the program for both the state and the country. The Chicago architectural firm of Patton & Miller designed the Renaissance Revival building. It features a full parapet, hipped roof with a deck, and a Flemish gable. It was dedicated on August 25, 1904, and it has subsequently been expanded. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Chariton Public Library is located in Chariton, Iowa, United States. The Library and Reading Room Association was formed in Chariton in 1879, but it was short-lived. The county superintendent of schools started a teachers' library in the courthouse sometime afterward. By this time the community had a library of 800 volumes. There was an effort by study clubs in town in 1898 to raise money and establish a free public library. The Chariton Federation of Women's Clubs took the lead and opened a library with the books from the courthouse in two rooms above Gibbons Drug Store on the town square. Citizens approved a local tax to support the library the following year.
Onawa Public Library is located in Onawa, Iowa, United States. The public library began in 1902 when Judge Addison Oliver offered to buy the former Congregational Church for a library building, and funds to buy books and fixtures. His offer was accepted by the community, which also promised to maintain the facility as a free library. The library soon outgrew the old church and in November 1906 the board of directors approached the Carnegie Corporation of New York for a grant to build a library building. A $10,000 grant was approved on December 13, 1907. Judge Oliver donated another $10,000 for the building, and an additional $10,000 for an endowment fund. The Chicago architectural firm of Patton & Miller designed the Prairie School building, which was dedicated on October 22, 1909. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The Ellsworth–Jones Building is a historic building located in Iowa Falls, Iowa, United States. Eugene S. Ellsworth was a land broker, town developer, and philanthropist. This building was the headquarters of his firm Ellsworth and Jones, who sold land throughout Iowa and other states in the Midwest. While Iowa Falls was their headquarters, they also had offices in Chicago, Boston, and Crookston, Minnesota. The three-story, brick Neoclassical building was completed in 1902. It features Ionic and Doric columns, egg-and-dart motif on the lower level columns, round arches, acanthus leaf keystones, foliated decorative elements, a dentils on the cornice.
The Former Eldora Public Library is a historic building located in Eldora, Iowa, United States. On December 30, 1901 the Carnegie Foundation agreed to grant the community $10,000 to build a new library building. The Chicago architectural firm of Patton & Miller designed it in the Renaissance Revival style, and it was dedicated on May 11, 1903. The single-story, brick structure is somewhat rare in that its plan is an asymmetrical massing of intersecting gables. The entrance pavilion is located at the intersection of the two masses. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In 2010 it was included as a contributing property in the Eldora Downtown Historic District in 2010. The library has subsequently moved to a new facility, and this building has been converted for commercial use.
The Waterloo Public Library is a historic building located in Waterloo, Iowa, United States. The public library was established there in 1896. It operated out of two rented rooms, one on the east side of the Cedar River and other on the west side. The Carnegie Foundation agreed to grant the community $21,000 to build this building and a similar amount for the east side branch on April 11, 1902. Waterloo architect J.G. Ralston designed both buildings in the Neoclassical style. They were both dedicated on February 23, 1906. The single-story brick structure has a projecting entrance pavilion capped with a triangular pediment that is supported by Ionic columns. Also noteworthy are the corner piers that feature bands of brick squares set into the stone. In 1977 voters in Waterloo approved a $3,650,000 bond referendum to renovate the city's 1938 post office and federal building to house the library. The post office vacated the building in 1979 when it relocated. The old library building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It now houses law offices.
The Waterloo Public Library-East Side Branch is a historic building located in Waterloo, Iowa, United States. The public library was established here in 1896. It operated out of two rented rooms, one on the east side of the Cedar River and other on the west side. The Carnegie Foundation offered a grant of $30,000 to build a new library, but disagreements erupted over whether to place the building on the east side or west side of the river. They then agreed to grant $40,000 for a mid-river building, or the same amount for two buildings. In the end they agreed to grant the community $24,000 to build this building and a similar amount for the west side branch. Waterloo architect John G. Ralston designed both buildings in the Neoclassical style. Both were dedicated on February 23, 1906. The single-story Bedford stone structure was built over a raised basement. It is one of the few stone buildings in Waterloo. The building has a central portico with paired Ionic columns. It is part of a larger central mass that is oriented from front to back and sits across the lower hipped roof.
The Mason City Public Library is located in Mason City, Iowa, United States. The building that was funded by Andrew Carnegie, and is now an office building, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. It was included as a contributing property in the Mason City Downtown Historic District in 2005.
The Sioux City Free Public Library is a historic building located in Sioux City, Iowa, United States. The library was located in a section of the Municipal Building, no longer extant, between 1892 and 1913. It had outgrown the space when the Library Board contacted Andrew Carnegie in 1910 about providing the funding for a new library building. Their request was initially turned down. They chose to work with New York City architect Edward L. Tilton, an architect preferred by Carnegie, in place of local architect William L. Steele who was working with the board previously. Local resident George Murphy donated the property for the new building. Meanwhile, Tilton designed the two-story brick Renaissance Revival building. On April 8, 1911, Carnegie approved the project and donated $75,000 for the building's construction. The new building was dedicated on March 6, 1913, and it is considered "an excellent early twentieth century example of the architectural development of library planning and design." It was Tilton's only building in Iowa.
The Carnegie-Stout Public Library is located in Dubuque, Iowa, United States. The public library had its beginnings with the Young Men's Literary Association, established in 1859, and their book collection was the basis for the library's collection. The books were housed in a variety of buildings over the years. The community applied for a grant from Andrew Carnegie who on January 12, 1901 contributed $71,500 to build the library building. Local businessman Frank D. Stout donated the property, which was worth $20,000, in honor of his father Henry L. Stout. The two-story Bedford stone and brick building was designed by Chicago architects W. G. Williamson and John Spencer. It is considered one of the finest examples of the Classical tradition of Beaux-Arts architecture in Iowa. The main facade is dominated by a Roman Corinthian portico that was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome. Its fluted columns are matched with pilasters on the wall behind. The building was dedicated on October 17, 1902, and it opened three days later. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and it was included as a contributing property in the Jackson Park Historic District in 1986. An addition was added to the east side of the building in 1981.
