Historical Tour Notecards Carnegie Library of – Main Getting Started

Welcome your group to the Library • Docent: Grab clipboard for sign-in behind First Floor desk (both registered and walk-ups) • Introduce yourself and your relationship to the Library • If possible, ask tour-takers to introduce themselves and say where they are from

Front Hallway Logistics • Ask if anyone needs elevator access for the tour • Gesture where the restrooms and water fountains are located at the end of the hallway (additional restrooms on each end of the 2nd floor hallway) • Point to bulletin board with all of the amazing things happening in the community and at our Libraries • Point to metal stands with schedules of events and more information about other kinds of resources we may not have time to cover today in the entrance (gesture) and around the Library in various departments

1 Historical Tours - Main Timeline of CLP (Share during walks between departments and/or elevators)

1889: Real estate heiress Mary Schenley donated nearly 300 acres of land to Pittsburgh for the creation of 1890: Steel tycoon selected this location to erect a Palace of Culture that would be available to the public 1891: Carnegie Library trustees were authorized to build the structure on part of Schenley land. The original building was designed by Longfellow, Alden & Harlow, and included a theater, a library, an art gallery and the museum.

November 5, 1895: Carnegie Institute is dedicated by Andrew Carnegie in the Music Hall.

1907: Major renovations expanded Carnegie Institute – Library’s entry lobby redesigned to incorporate two side staircases of Tennessee Marble – 11-story book stack was built to replace the original iron stacks – Children’s Reading Room was added, along with room for scientific and technical books – Museum received independent space/entrance facing Forbes Avenue – Added elaborate marble foyer in Music Hall, constructed the Hall of Architecture, Hall of Sculpture, Staircase Hall, and Hall of Dinosaurs 1988: Public access to the online catalog (CAROLINE) was provided in 1988 2 Historical Tours - Main Newer Updates (Share during walks between departments and/or elevators)

1995: Public access to the Internet throughout the Library was provided with the completion of the renovation of the 2nd Floor 2004: The First Floor, the New & Featured Department, and the Teenspace were fully renovated to create a one-stop browsing collection for New Fiction and Nonfiction (Architect: Friendship-based EDGE Studio/Budget: $4.1 million)

INTERESTING FACTS: • Early 1890s: Homestead Strike — Carnegie broke the Steel Workers Union (he was sensitive to criticism surrounding his involvement in this). This brokered the new age of library giving (after constructing CLP – Main). • Carnegie provided the seed money to build the Library, but did not endow its operations — it was up to the community to furnish financial support. • The Carnegie Instutite was made up of a central library, music hall, a department of fine arts and a three-room natural history museum. That original structure cost just in excess of $1 million — more than $23.5 million by today’s standards. • 1907 renovations: Carnegie, with typical beneficence, upon hearing that the cost of the new and bigger Institute would be $5 million ($114 million today), said “By all means we should have these plans.” 3 Historical Tours - Main Foyer • Mosaic floor tiles near the steps date from the 1895 building and was under a piece of wood until it was discovered during the 2004 renovation

Customer Services • Anyone in the state of PA can get a FREE library card (w/photo ID) — Out-of-state visitors can get a card for $30 • Return materials anywhere in Allegheny County (19 libraries in CLP system, borrow from over 70 libraries in Allegheny County)

Children’s Department • The Carnegie Institute was one of the first public libraries in the nation to have a dedicated children’s department/reading room • Developed a training school specifically for children’s librarians (This was taken over by CMU and later by Pitt’s iSchool) • Docent: (Show child-sized sink hidden behind the CH’s desk) Sink was used by children to wash up after working with coal or other city grime before they could touch the books. – Show two historic framed pictures (1 behind the CH’s desk and 1 to the left of self-checkout machine)

4 Historical Tours - Main Library Welcome Center – This collection features information for immigrants and newcomers, including English learning materials, Pittsburgh travel guides, as well as Library programs and community resources and events. Crazy Mocha – Original Building Image • This photo of the building was taken when it was first built in 1895 – You’ll notice there is a ravine where is now (that was later filled in with dirt to level off the land). • Also missing today are the twin bell towers that Carnegie thought looked like the ‘ears of a donkey’ and were torn down during the expansion in 1907 • Docent: Show Carriage Entrance to left of image

First Floor New & Featured • Panels on the First Floor – particular printer‘s marks, Library and Scottish seals • Redesigned in 2004 to make it welcoming, bright and cheery • Popular collections – Fiction is shelved by topic/genre and then by author. Collection is a few years old or newer; new nonfiction and travel books available in Quiet Reading Room • Docent: (Mention that Circulation Desk used to be in center of First Floor where bestsellers are now – tall wooden desk with gates) Librarians still seen as gatekeepers and protectors of books until early 2000’s! 5 Historical Tours - Main Bamboo Deck/Magazine Room (2004 renovation) • Also known as the Indoor and Outdoor Reading Deck — was created from previously unused exterior space within the building • Brazilian Ipe (pronounced Eee-pay) Wood — renewable rain forest product – Curvature of Ipe Wood provides airstream aesthetic • Non-invasive bamboo will grow to 25 feet • Thick wavy-glass floor tiles were removed from the stacks during the back staircase installation – recycled into a sort of bridge between Magazine Room and Bamboo Deck

Graphic Novels Room/Gallery @ Main • Holds the largest collection of graphic formats in any CLP location including graphic novels, graphic nonfiction, manga, and graphic series • Space is frequently used by book clubs, conversation groups and language classes • Next to Graphic Novels Room is the “Gallery @ Main” — a constantly changing exhibit featuring works by local photographers and artists that highlight the community exhibits within/beyond Oakland • Docent: Point to hidden door off gallery that connects to Museum – Hall of Architecture of Architecture (Ask security for access if a badge is not available, and remind patrons to stay on Library side and look in.)

6 Historical Tours - Main Colonel James Anderson (transitionial info) • Carnegie called him the “Founder of Free Libraries in Western PA” • Anderson opened his personal library to working boys and on Saturday afternoons he acted as a librarian, dedicating not only his books but also himself to this noble work – Carnegie was one of the “working boys” (telegraph messenger boy) who was given the “precious treasures of knowledge and imagination” • What is today’s First Floor Teenspace was once called the James Anderson Reading Room — this is wonderful because for us, he was the first unofficial Teen Librarian!

Teenspace/Teen Stacks • This room is specifically designated for teens ages 11 – 19; interest-driven learning using esources and staff mentors (guitars, sewing machines, recording, etc.) • Largest teen collection in the county — Teen materials are denoted by colorfully painted shelving end caps, done by a teen advisory group several years ago

Mezzanine • Beginning of nonfiction (A – L) – Library used to use Dewey Decimal Classification, but in the 1970’s, wanted to be like nearby academic institutions, so switched over to Library of Congress (mostly… still hundreds and hundreds of titles in upper stacks that are Dewey) 7 Historical Tours - Main Mezzanine (con’t.) • Can only access Mezzanine from back stairwell or staff elevator • While there are 3 public floors to our Library, there are 11 story stacks which date back to the 1907 renovation • 1897: Carnegie hired a personal secretary, James Bertram, to oversee an objective program of library giving – town asking for a library had to meet certain requirements (The Carnegie Formula). – Bertram required the elected officials — the local government — to: – Demonstrate the need for a public library and provide the building site; – Pay staff and maintain the library; – Draw from public funds to run the library — not use only private donations; – Annually provide 10% of the cost of the Library’s construction to support its operation; and – Provide free service to all. – Bertram systemized criteria for library architecture: – Lecture Room and also Reading Rooms for adults and children, a Staff Rooom – Centrally located Librarian’s Desk – 12'–15' ceilings (This was before air conditioning) and large windows 6'–7' above the floor – No fireplaces (Those spaces could shelve 500–600 books!)

2nd Floor Stacks/Dinosaurs (Docent: Take stairs to 2nd floor from stacks or elevator, make a right and walk towards museum windows to show off dinosauar exhibit below) • The stacks house more than 1.5 million print books, journals, maps and zines (both in Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal classifications) 8 Historical Tours - Main Window Across from Dinosaurs (toward MF&A rear entrance) • Docent: Show off beams with Andrew Carnegie’s name inscribed • The glass floors, known as slag (a bi-product of Andrew Carnegie’s steel) was added to the stacks to help distribute light when electricity was scarce.

Music, Film & Audio Department • Docent: As you walk throught the rear entrance of MF&A, explain that this part of the building used to be the Museum of Art – 1st room: Nonfiction Music Books / 2nd room: Music Scores – Main room: CDs, DVDs, and musical instruments • Various art hanging in room given to the Library by the Museum of Art • Photographs hanging in MF&A across from Ask a Librarian desk – TOP: Room is former “Main Gallery” of Carnegie Instutite Art Galleries during the 1895 loan exibition. Look carefully at walls – can see the long horizontal marks left when picture molding was removed. – BOTTOM: A group of high school students led by John W. Beatty, director of Fine Arts, Carnegie Institute, tours the 1900 Carnegie International exhibit. • Bakaleinikoff Tablecloth (Bake–ih–line–ah-cough) – Autographed by 100 visiting classical musicians who performed in Pittsburgh from 1946 – 1953. (Signed by friends of Vladimir Bakaleinikoff – signatures embroidered by his wife, Julia)

9 Historical Tours - Main Free to the People Gallery • This room is called "Free to the People Gallery" because it is the room on the other side of the famous "Free to the People" inscription above the main entrance. • The wall pieces were originally in storage, and were not able to be viewed by the public. They are on long-term display, and the exhibits in the glass “coffin cases” will change every few months. • This room has gone through a great number of different usages. Most recently, this was the telephone ready reference unit. It was converted into a gallery space in 2019. • Docent: Point out the key to the pieces on each wall for more information.

Second Floor Hallway – Exhibits in the cases • These cases feature rotating collections in a variety of formats that highlight important people and artifacts to Carnegie Library's history. • Docent: Refer to signage next to exhibits for more information. • The exhibits in these showcases will highlight CLP’s rare books and special collections and will change every few months. • Docent: Point to signage for more information.

10 Historical Tours - Main Second Floor Hallway – Mural Highlights • Thirty murals decorate the arches and walls of the second floor. The murals were installed in 1907 under the direction of decorator Elmer Ellsworth Garnsey who was also involved in the decoration of the Boston Public Library & Library of Congress. – The twelve lunettes, half-moon shaped murals, each depict a medallion showing a historic figure from the Renaissance period. – Circular panels at each end of the corridor above the doorways feature cherubs bearing an inscription in Latin. ▪ Above the door to the Music, Film & Audio Department is the inscription “Omne Labore” translated as “Everything through work.” ▪ At the opposite end of the corridor the inscription reads “Vivere est Cogitare” which means “To live is to think” or “Life is thought” from the Roman orator and politician Cicero.

Reference Department 1995: When installing internet cables in the floor, a contractor saw peeling on the walls – went over and tore off a piece to discover a mural underneath! Spent almost a year uncovering and restoring the murals in Reference and 2nd Floor hallway ▪ Large murals are early European printers colophons • Green lamps are replicas of the original lamps/outlets built into tables • Coffered ceiling – Skylights in Reference were painted over during the first World War, later the roof was built over-top to protect glass and people in Reference room. 11 Historical Tours - Main South Wing Reading Room • Previously the International Poetry Room, this reading room was completed in 2017 and serves as a high-end programming space for larger public gatherings, as well as quiet seating for Library users • Houses works of local and regional interests. The glass display cases highlight items from our Library archival collections

Job & Career Education Center/Nonprofit Resource Center • Assists job seekers • One-on-one résumé assistance • Mock interviews • Career counseling • Computer classes • E-books, books, study guides, and practice tests • Test prep books located in hallway outside room • Philanthropy, small business and grant-writing resources Department • Houses materials related to Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania • Collection is used for scholarly and popular research into local history and genealogy • Home of the Pittsburgh Photographic Library, from 1860s to 1950s 12 Historical Tours - Main ReCollection Studio (by appointment only) (point to if closed) • Digitization lab – provides hardware, software and staff suport to digitize tapes, documents, photographs, slides and negatives • Supports DYI conversion of personal heritage materials Microfilm/Newspapers • Tens of thousands of magazines and newspapers, government reports on microfilm and microfiche • Pittsburgh newspapers dating from 1786 • Pittsburgh City Directories from 1813 – 1975 on microfilm • Pittsburgh area phonebooks from 1880 to present

Conservation, Preservation & Access (skip on Sundays) • The Preservation Lab opened in 2012. • The work of the Conservation, Preservation & Access Department is to assure long-term access to the Library’s reference and special collections including the Library’s Heritage Collection, the original collection influenced by Andrew Carnegie (pre-1970).

1013 Historical Tours - Main WRAP UP • Take group back down to First Floor Hallway (either by elevator or stairs – show warped stairs coming down closest to JCEC) • Weather permitting: Go out front and show off ‘Free to the People’ names carved in the building – Just inside opposite Security Desk, show names of architects carved into marble. • Docent: Use time clock on staff computer to sign out and take brief survey on tour (can also log hours and take survey remotely by visiting carnegielibrary.org/volunteer).

Rev. 3/19

1014 Historical Tours - Main Shelving and Material Services • The Shelving Department in its current form was established in 2005. • Until 2005 this area was the sorting center for materials for both the Carnegie Library system and the county. Materials returned to a location that was not their home library would be brought here, sorted, and delivered to their owning library. Eventually our circulation numbers outgrew the space, and now we have an entire building and special machinery that processes these materials in the West End. • Through the 1970s, areas surrounding the Shelving Room were CLP’s book bindery where workers constructed covers and repaired damaged material. • Today, the Shelving Room at Main is responsible for pulling requested items from the shelf (including books, DVDs, video games and more), sending those items to other libraries and re-shelving returned materials. Every day we shelve or pull about 2,000 items, which adds up to about 60,000 a month! • Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh as a whole ships about 350,000 items between its branches and the county every month! • Each clerk walks nearly 5 miles through the stacks every day. That’s the same as walking from the library to the Pittsburgh Zoo! • The Shelving Department employs 16 clerks and up to 20 volunteers.

1015 Historical Tours - Main