The Best Gift: A Record of the Carnegie Libraries in Ontario

Virginia Gillham is Associate Librarian in the Public Service Library at
the University of Guelph.

Carnegie libraries, public library buildings financed in the early twentieth century with funds from the famous Carnegie Foundation, are an integral part of the North American landscape. An unfortunately small portion of the populace mourns when they fall victim to the wrecker’s ball and progress, and few can guess at the fascinating history behind their origin.

When Andrew Carnegie retired in 1901 and sold the Carnegie Steel Company for $500,000,000, he placed the money in trust and turned his attention to full-time philanthropy. In less than 20 years he provided major funding assistance for more than 2,500 free public library buildings, of which 125 were in Canada and 111 of these in Ontario. In keeping with his philosophy that “no individual or group [is] improved by charity or alms giving” his money was always “assistance” but never the full amount required. This dour Scot, and his equally dour assistant, Mr. James Bertram, required significant commitments from the communities they assisted. The records of the Carnegie Foundation and of the individual communities make frequently amusing reading, often including advice or terms distinctly paternal in tone.

This attractive “coffeetable” book documents the Carnegie era in Ontario and includes a profusion of illustrations, most of which are photographs of buildings that are still standing or watercolour sketches of those lost to time. All of these illustrations are the work of two of the authors.

While on the one hand this work includes the statistical and bibliographic documentation appropriate to a serious research study, and a considerable examination of relevant architectural detail, on the other hand its beautiful illustrations make it appropriate for browsing, and its truly interesting literary style and content make it entertaining reading at a less serious level.

The three authors share a significant background in the study of library architecture, which here provides the foundation for a delightful and appealing book.