1912 Library, Norwalk, Connecticut

[LIB6437] - Though Norwalk was second to South Norwalk in founding a public library it was the first to get a building from Carnegie funds. As its rental rooms were inadequate, in 1901 the library applied for a Carnegie grant. Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, a great supporter of public libraries, gave money for a library building to any town or city that would promise to continue funding the library at an annual rate equaling 10% of the building grant. The City agreed to provide funding, and Norwalk received a grant for $20,000. The size of the Carnegie grant was a function of the population served by the library. Norwalk and South Norwalk were both very small cities at the time, each having a population of about 10,000. [From the website]