Library to receive $10K gift from Carnegie

Rhinelander District Library will receive a $10,000 gift from Carnegie Corporation of New York, the foundation established by Andrew Carnegie. The award is part of Carnegie Libraries 250, a special initiative celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and honoring the roughly 1,280 Carnegie Libraries still serving their communities across the United States.

Scottish immigrant Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of 1,681 free public libraries nationwide between 1886 and 1917. Approximately 750 of them continue to use their original buildings, while others have moved to new locations. Of the 65 Carnegie funded libraries in Wisconsin, about 47 remain.

Opened in 1903, our library is one of 22 operating libraries built through this historic program.

“This gift honors the history of Carnegie Libraries and the role they have played in communities nationwide for more than a century. It is a timely gift, offered as the board prepares to phase renovations beginning with the Carnegie entrance exterior and the interior of the original Carnegie Library,” said Virginia Roberts, director. 

“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.”

Rhinelander District Library will receive the gift in January 2026, and we will use the funds to assist in the restoration of the Carnegie Library exterior entrance, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of The Declaration of Independence, further our mission, and benefit our community.

For 128 years, the Rhinelander District Library has been a cornerstone of our community. It is a place where people of all ages come to learn, connect, and thrive. Today, as we celebrate our rich legacy, we also look ahead to ensure that future generations continue to benefit from the vital services the library provides. Libraries are about providing information. It also must be a welcoming space for study, collaboration, programs, and technology access. From our modest beginning, the library has grown through community advocacy, landmark expansions like the 1904 Rhinelander District Library Carnegie building, and the 1985 addition that nearly doubled our size. Along the way, our collection has expanded, and our annual visits have soared to more than 67,000. 

Today, our community library is:

• Serving over 9,000 cardholders.

• Circulating more than 128,000 materials annually.

• Offering hundreds of programs for children, teens, adults, and seniors.

• Delivering books and resources to homebound individuals.

• Providing free internet, notary services, local history archives and more.

We launched a $7 million Capital Campaign to renovate and expand the library in June 2024. The renovation and expansion will add 7,650 square feet of much needed space and preserve the historic Carnegie building for continued use.

For more information about the Rhinelander District Library or the Capital Campaign for the expansion and renovation, visit rhinelanderlibrary.org.

For more information regarding this gift and to share your library stories with the Carnegie Corporation, visit carnegielibraries.org.