FCPL to receive $10,000 gift from Carnegie Corporation of New York

Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 8:04 AM

By Staff report

Fulton County Public Library, Rochester Branch, 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. Opened in 1907, the library is one of 164 Carnegie Libraries in Indiana built through this historic program.

“We are honored to receive this gift that gives us an opportunity to remember and acknowledge our Carnegie roots. Even though we are no longer in our original Carnegie building, we will always be a Carnegie Library,” said FCPL Director Andrea Roe.

“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.”

FCPL Rochester Branch will receive the gift in January, and may use the funds however they wish to celebrate the 250th anniversary, further the library's mission, and benefit the community.

Patrons are invited to share their FCPL, photos, stories, and community celebrations at carnegielibraries.org.