KAUKAUNA — The Kaukauna Public Library has received a $10,000 gift from Carnegie Corporation of New York in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
“We’re proud to be one of about 1,280 Carnegie Libraries still serving communities nationwide,” read a social media post from the library.
Libraries may use the funds however they wish to celebrate the 250th anniversary, further their mission and benefit their community.
The original library building, funded by a Carnegie Grant, still stands on the Island across from River View Middle School and opened in 1901. The current library opened in 2016.
Kaukauna’s library was one of 1,681 free public libraries funded by Scottish immigrant Andrew Carnegie in the United States between 1886 and 1917.
As part of the Carnegie Libraries 250 special initiative, his philanthropic foundation reached out to each library and established that about 1,280 still operate and acknowledge their link to Carnegie, making them eligible for the celebratory gift.
Approximately 750 of them continue to use their original buildings, while others, like Kaukauna, have moved to new locations.
“Our founder, Andrew Carnegie, who championed the free public library movement of the late 19th century, described libraries as ‘cradles of democracy’ that ‘strengthen the democratic idea, the equality of the citizen, and the royalty of man,’” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie and former head of the University of Oxford. “We still believe this and are delighted to celebrate our connection to the libraries he founded.”
The $10,000 library gifts anchor a $20 million special initiative created to celebrate next year’s 250th anniversary by supporting America’s civic institutions and organizations that foster civic participation and bring people together.
Learn more carnegie.io/47kNpzh
