Contact: Beth Keller
Highland Park Public Library
bkeller@hplibrary.org
(847) 432—0216, ext. 124
(847) 337-7023 – cell
Highland Park Public Library received a recent $10,000 gift from the Carnegie Corporation of New York foundation, joining more than 1,000 libraries across the country as recipients. From 1886-1917, Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of more than 1600 public libraries including Highland Park Public Library. The recent gift to those libraries still operating today, known as “Carnegie Libraries,” commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Highland Park Public Library first opened its doors in 1888, with approximately 400 books and very limited hours. By the early 1900s, although the Library had moved more than once to larger spaces, a movement was underway to construct a new building. Andrew Carnegie was contacted for a financial donation. Carnegie had many philanthropic interests, but public libraries were the major beneficiaries. Highland Park Public Library received an initial donation of $10,000 from Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and an additional $2,000 in 1906. With the help from Carnegie’s funding, a new library was built. By 1931, to accommodate growing collections and services, a new library was built on the site. Though the original Carnegie Library no longer stands, the values and services it embodied continue today.
Today’s $10,000 gift from the Carnegie Corporation of New York foundation, while not funding a new building, will be used to fund the Library’s current expansion -- a reimagined Library with an additional 7,800 square feet. The project includes a state-of-the-art makerspace where all ages can design, create, and innovate; an enhanced area for children to play and explore -- with more space for books, too; an enlarged archive that preserves the city's history, with a reading room accessible to the public; and flexible space and increased capacity to connect and learn at Library programs in the new Alvin H. Baum Family Fund Community Meeting Room. A new ADA-compliant elevator and restrooms will guarantee access for all.
According to the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the $10,000 library gifts are part of a special initiative created to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary by supporting America’s civic institutions and organizations that foster civic participation and bring people together. Whereas the initial donation from Andrew Careneige paved the way for the Highland Park Public Library to serve generations of readers and lifelong learners, today’s donation will help to fund a reimagined Library for generations to come, creating a future-ready Library with more space for kids, creators, learners, and community gatherings.
Says Heidi Smith, executive director of Highland Park Public Library, “We’re so appreciative to receive such a generous gift from the Carnegie foundation, and using the gift to help fund the expansion is especially meaningful. It was Andrew Carnegie’s original donations that built our Library once upon a time and now this donation will help build an expanded Library to serve the community for years to come. We’re so grateful for the legacy Mr. Carnegie has left Highland Park – both with his original funding and this new gift - and the lasting impact it brings.
Highland Park Public Library opens doors to information and imagination. The Library is located at 494 Laurel Avenue, Highland Park. For more information, please call (847) 432-0216 or visit hplibrary.org.
September 22, 2025
July 12, 2024
