For nearly a decade, the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall has been proud to host a biennial Civil War symposium, featuring one full day of Civil War historians and enthusiasts discussing this pivotal period in American history. Paired with our national treasure Captain Thomas Espy Post, our contemplative Lincoln Gallery, and our monthly Read More
While Thanksgivings present so often involves friends, family, food and football, our visions of Thanksgivings past likely hearken back to the pilgrims and Native Americans at Plymouth. How many of us think of Gettysburg when someone mentions Thanksgiving? Just me? Yikes! In recognition of the Federal victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg in July 1863, Abraham Read More
“The Kennywood exit!” “Pardon?” I replied. “I take the Kennywood exit to get to your house. First exit after the Squirrel Hill Tunnel.” “Oh, well, yes. That is ‘the Kennywood exit!’ ” This conversation took place as I gave directions to my Swissvale home to someone kind enough to take my wobbly old IKEA bookshelf Read More
I have the honor and privilege to work in a grand building that has just turned 120 years old. I fell in love with the stately Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall almost immediately as an intern from the University of Pittsburgh 11 or so years ago. I eventually became a Carnegie resident and Read More
Written by Maggie Forbes As I wrote in this column on May 21, the Library & Music Hall is embarking on the last leg of transforming its facility from rundown to remarkable – we are completing the Carnegie Carnegie. What began with men in hazmat suits remediating asbestos in late 2004 soon morphed into scaffolding around Read More
Later this month — July 21, to be exact — we will mark the 160th anniversary of the first major land battle of the Civil War at Bull Run. It was on the fields around Manassas, Va., only 25 miles from Washington, D.C., that some 60,000 Union and Confederate soldiers met in vicious, sometimes hand-to-hand Read More
Written by Maggie Forbes As anyone who reads the Library & Music Hall’s newsletters, eblasts or my columns in this newspaper knows, I love milestones. I learned last week that the Library & Music Hall will be celebrating its Quasquicentennial (125) as the country celebrates its Semiquincentennial (250) in 2026. Just imagine the programs and Read More
Written by Maggie Forbes At the sold-out and terrific Pete & Scott & Benny & Joe concert on May 5th, we announced that the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall had received a $50,000 challenge grant. Very generous friends of the Library & Music Hall, who wish to remain anonymous, gave a huge boost to getting Read More
National Poetry Month Check out our month-long celebration of National Poetry month! With readings, workshops, and competitions, there are so many ways to enjoy and appreciate poetry! These events are made possible through the generous partnership of the following: Modern Mercantile More Than Words Red Brick Poetry Pittsburgh Poetry Collective
There are many things I really like about my job. As librarians, we spend a great deal of our time helping and teaching people. At times this can be a challenging career, but almost always an incredibly rewarding one. One major way we serve our community is through the materials we purchase for our collection. Read More