Join Adam Oster, Community Engagement Librarian for the Library of Michigan, as he tells the amazing history of the Carnegie Libraries nationally, statewide and locally. Oster will be speaking 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 24 at an event sponsored by the Historical Society of Greater Lansing at the Rogers-Carrier House on the Campus of Lansing Community College, 528 N. Capitol, Lansing.
The former Carnegie Library in Lansing is 120 years old this year and is located on Shiawassee St., one block from the Rogers-Carrier House. It is currently used by the College for educational purposes. The Carnegie Library was ultimately replaced by a new Library in downtown Lansing in the 1960s.
Starting in 1839 Carnegie built more than 2,500 Carnegie Libraries including nearly 1,700 in the United States and 61 in Michigan. Many of the original libraries are still operating such as the one in Charlotte, Michigan. Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant, believed strongly in bringing books to all people to allow them to increase their knowledge.
In Lansing the effort to build a Carnegie Library was led by women’s groups and literary societies along with the State Librarian. The Libraries were built to what was called the Carnegie formula which required local financial support and design plans were to be approved by the Carnegie organization.
The event is free and open to the public and sponsored by the MSU Federal Credit Union.
Also check out other Arts events in Lansing, Literary Art events in Lansing.
