Carnegie Library Rehabilitation

On February 14, 1908, Phoenix’s Carnegie Library opened to the public.  Named in honor of its funder, industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the building housed the Phoenix Public Library until 1954.  After the library moved to a new, larger building, the Carnegie building served other uses, but eventually fell into disrepair.  In 1985, the State of Arizona took over the Carnegie from the City of Phoenix, and hired architect Gerald A. Doyle to supervise its rehabilitation.  Today, the Carnegie library is a multi-use facility, housing among other things an exhibit on its own history.

Read About It

Use the document analysis sheet and the photograph analysis sheet to uncover clues about the people that created the documents.

• Copy of a letter from Gerald A. Doyle to David A. Glass, June 28, 1985
• Photograph/color image of restoration work at the Carnegie Library in Phoenix (Ariz.)
• Copy of Certificate of Substantial Completion of Carnegie Rehabilitation, July 7, 1985
• Copy of a letter from Jim Hixenbaugh to Gerald A. Doyle, September 15, 1986

Understand It

1. When was the Carnegie Library built? When was it decommissioned as the home of the Phoenix Public Library? When was it rehabilitated?
2. Who created the documents linked above? What role did they take in the rehabilitation? What information is not present in these documents?
3. How is the Carnegie Library Rehabilitation similar to the Santa Cruz County Courthouse Remodeling? How are they different?
4. What do you think is the best use of a historic library building, and why?

Explore More

Visit the websites below to learn more. Based on this new information, have your answers to the questions above changed?

For Students

• Arizona Women’s Heritage Trail: Carnegie Libraries

For Teachers

• National Park Service: Carnegie Libraries