P.O. Box 1041

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.

Telephone: 412-561-7876

Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >

Internet Web Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >

2004 July 14

By Certified Mail; Return Receipt Requested:

Margaret J. Forbes, Acting Executive Director

Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall

300 Beechwood Avenue

Carnegie, Pennsylvania 15106-2699

Dear Maggie:

I do regret any misunderstandings that may have been created by the very untimely publication of the article in the July 7 issue of the South Hills Almanac.

Actually, I did see the article in last week’s newspaper. And, I was rather amused that The Almanac would publish a news article, based on a news release I issued four years ago !!!

The July 7 news article, in the “Carnegie” section of the weekly column “Across the South Hills,” included information [and several sections verbatim] from a news release I issued on April 20, 2000. As you may know, at that time I was a Life Trustee for the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, responsible for Library public relations.

This news release is archived on my Internet web site at:

< http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/NR-CentennialSearch-Book.html >

For your convenience, a copy of this April 20, 2000 news release is attached.

That date, April 20, 2000, was the 101^st anniversary of the Declaration of Trust, set up by Andrew Carnegie, which legally formed the Andrew Carnegie Free Library. It was also a couple weeks before the 99^th anniversary of the opening of the Library on May 1, 1901. As the centennial of the Library’s opening was only a year away, we had decided to do a community search for Library-related historic items and materials, which could be displayed at the Library, or on the Library’s web site, as part of the Library’s centennial celebration.

We did receive a small response to our news release. However, I have not received any telephone calls from the most recent publication of this news release. This may be due to the fact that The Almanac does not directly circulate in Carnegie, although it does circulate in neighboring communities which are well within the service area of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library.

I have always considered my public credibility to be of paramount importance. This is one of the reasons my resignation from the Andrew Carnegie Free Library Board of Trustees occurred at precisely

10:50:00 a.m. EDST on 2000 June 6—the exact time the Orphans’ Court of Allegheny County issued a ruling granting the petition to amend the Library’s Declaration of Trust. Once this occurred, I could no longer serve the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, on the Library’s Board of Trustees, when the explicit wishes of the Library’s Founder, Andrew Carnegie, as expressed in the Declaration of Trust, had been violated.

I can assure you that I have not, nor would I anytime in the future, represent the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in any way, without the expressed consent of the Board of Trustees of the Library.

Margaret J. Forbes 2004 July 14 Page 2 of 2

Since the time I left the Board of Trustees, there was one occasion when I did represent the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall—with the full knowledge and consent of the Board. This occurred when I arranged the Library’s celebration of the centennial of the dedication of the Library on 2002 October 8. The keynote address was given by Peter Krass, who had just completed a new biography titled, Carnegie. It turned-out that Mr. Krass’ grandmother, at age 5, had actually sung with her first-grade class at the Library’s dedication! Although the actual dedication centennial date had been April 22, Mr. Krass was not available for this event until October.

Today, I always use the past tense when identifying myself as a former Library Life Trustee. For instance, when I recently spoke before Pittsburgh City Council, in favor of historic structure designation for five Carnegie Libraries in the City, I said:

“From 1995-2000, I served as a Life Trustee, on the Board of Trustees, of one of Andrew Carnegie’s original libraries: the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, which opened in 1901. I served as the Library’s Treasurer from 1995-1996. I was the Consulting Editor for the April, 1999 issue of Cobblestone, a national history magazine for children; the theme of this issue was the life and philanthropies of Andrew Carnegie. And, I maintain an educational web site, on the Internet, on the History of Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Libraries: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >.”

Also attached is a copy of one of these statements. This particular statement was delivered in support of City Designated Historic Structure status for the West End Branch of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Well, over the five years I served as a Library Life Trustee for the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, I sent-out quite a few news releases. However, I never expected any of them to be published, or referred to, four years after the issue date [it is hard enough getting the media to use a news release, when originally issued!].

So, I certainly have no way of knowing, or controlling, the future publication of a news release I issued prior to June of 2000. However, I can assure you that since 2000 June 6 I have not, and will not, issue any news releases on behalf of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, without the consent of the Library Board of Trustees.

Sincerely yours,

Glenn A. Walsh

gaw

Attachments: 5

Copy: Members of the Board of Trustees, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall

Mary Malysko, Library Director, Andrew Carnegie Free Library

Patricia Van Horn, Assistant Editor, South Hills Almanac