Our History

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Please be aware that our Children and Teen Collection may be closed due to a staff shortage. Please call ahead for access if you are able.

SEARCH THE CATALOG

Exclamation Mark (150 × 150 px) (1)

Please be aware that our Children and Teen Collection may be closed due to a staff shortage. Please call ahead for access if you are able.

SEARCH THE CATALOG

We Forge Our Own History

Welcome to the home of the first Carnegie library in the United States! Established in 1889 in Braddock, Pennsylvania, the library stands as a testament to Andrew Carnegie's vision of providing access to knowledge and resources for all.

Braddock Carnegie Library Timeline

Where Our Story Begins…

Situated in the very town where Carnegie's inaugural steel mill operated, the Braddock Carnegie Library embodies the opulence of the nineteenth-century industrial boom. Its architectural style and intricate details reflect the prosperity of the era. Over time, the building has not only retained its beauty but has also borne witness to the challenges faced by economically disadvantaged neighborhoods and public institutions. As the community endured industrial decline and population loss, the library, too, bore the scars of neglect.

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What’s coming up...

The Librarians Screenings
Wednesday, April 22 6pm-8pm and Saturday. April 25 2pm-4pm
419 Library Street | Braddock, PA 15104

Celebrate National Library week with two screenings of the documentary The Librarians, which showcases librarians emerging as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights.

In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQIA+ stories – triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of a large-scale coordinated extremist movement fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work – the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.

These screenings are free for all ages and made possible through partnership with WQED.

“This building was built to last…for generations to come…a center of light & learning, a never-failing spring of all good influences.”

— Andrew Carnegie, March 30, 1889 Dedication of Braddock Carnegie Library