Telephone:
412-561-7876
Electronic
Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc
>
Internet
Web Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc
>
2006
April 22
Maggie Forbes, Acting
Executive Director
Andrew Carnegie Free Library
and Music Hall
Dear Maggie:
Today, 2006 April 22, marks
the 104th anniversary of the official dedication, by Library Donor Andrew
Carnegie, of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall. My
congratulations go to the Board of Trustees and loyal staff of this institution
for providing a wonderful public service all these many years, often under
trying circumstances. As is my custom, today is the day I provide my annual
monetary donation to the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall of one
dollar for each year following the official dedication. Enclosed, please find
my personal check for $104, made out to the Andrew Carnegie Free Library.
I also want to acknowledge
and accept the generous invitation to the May 5 reception, celebrating the
centennial of the charter between the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and the
Captain Thomas Espy Post Number 153, Grand Army of the Republic. I am pleased
to see progress on the restoration of the Library’s Civil War Museum. As you
may know, I coordinated the Wednesday evening, weekly public tours of the Civil
War Museum during the last year of my tenure as a Library Life Trustee (from
July of 1999 through June of 2000). Enclosed, please find my personal check for
$50, for one ticket to the reception, made out to the Andrew Carnegie Free
Library and Music Hall Campaign.
As you may know, during my
years as a Life Trustee for the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall
(1995 to 2000), I also served as the Library’s Historian. Of course, my History
of Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Libraries Internet web site < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
includes an extensive section on the history of the Andrew Carnegie Free
Library and Music Hall. And, last year (2005 June 8) Chris Potter, Editor of the Pittsburgh
City Paper quoted me in his weekly You
Had to Ask column, when a reader asked the question: Is it true that Andrew
Carnegie paid to have the town of Carnegie named after him? (The answer is no; however, Andrew Carnegie
did provide the borough a library and music hall, with an endowment—and later
added to the endowment, in appreciation of the borough’s kind gesture).
I am sorry I was not able to
speak with you at length, regarding the Library rehabilitation project, at last
year’s Library anniversary event. I know you had your hands full coordinating
the event. This-past Wednesday, I visited the Andrew Carnegie Free Library to
donate another book for a book memorial. From my observations that day, and the
day of last year’s anniversary event, I do have several comments and questions regarding
the Library rehabilitation project. Attached is an Addendum with these comments
and questions. Perhaps I can discuss some of these matters with you during the
anniversary events on May 5 or May 6.
Sincerely yours,
Glenn A. Walsh
gaw
Attachment: Letter Addendum *** Memo of 2000 Feb. 1
Copy: Board of Trustees, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall
Charles R. Goetz, Co-Chair, Andrew Carnegie Free
Library and Music Hall Campaign
William E. Manby, Co-Chair, Andrew Carnegie Free
Library and Music Hall Campaign
Richard L. Thornburgh
Robert C. Wilburn