​Metropolitan Library, 1907
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Why did Andrew Carnegie give John Pugh money to build the Columbus Metropolitan Library?

• Andrew Carnegie was a rich man who had made his fortune in the steel industry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  He was famous as a philanthropist (a person who gives money to charities and institutions that help others). Carnegie made a point of giving money to build libraries—from big cities to little towns. Columbus had a library but it was part of the old city hall, then located on State Street, where the Ohio Theater is today. The library part of the building was located under a large room which was often used as a basketball court! The city of Columbus was growing rapidly at the end of the 19th century.  New people often came from small towns or from Southern states and did not have much education. New immigrants from Europe were arriving who were just learning English. Many people were not able to afford books or even able to send their children to school. John Pugh, the librarian, traveled to Pittsburgh to meet with Andrew Carnegie and was almost turned away because Carnegie had built many libraries already.  However, as the story goes, John Pugh, who was Welsh by nationality, was overheard speaking in Welsh by Andrew Carnegie, who was himself an immigrant. Pugh was invited to present his ideas as to why Columbus needed a real library, and Carnegie was convinced when he saw Pugh’s arguments for the library. Columbus was in the midst of a great deal of immigration and migration. Carnegie agreed to give 200,000 dollars to build the library. The city purchased a former mansion in 1901 for the site of the new library. However, there was one major change.  Originally, Pugh asked for enough money to build a brick library, but when he returned to Columbus, city officials thought that would not do.  Pugh was sent back to Pittsburgh to ask for more money to build the library in marble.  This was, of course, more expensive.  Pugh was embarrassed to ask, but Carnegie agreed immediately because it was a wiser investment of his money.

What do the words “My Treasures are Within” mean?

• Carnegie chose his own architect, Albert Randolph Ross of New York, to be the architect of the Columbus library.  Ross had already built over 200 Carnegie libraries. Construction on the library started in 1903 and was finished in 1908. What are the treasures that are in the building? Books, of course, because books bring knowledge and education that are wise investments for one’s future. Unlike money that can be lost, misused, or unwisely invested, education can never be taken away.
  

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