A reassessment of the design of Carnegie public library buildings with a view to their future use: The case of Evanston Public Library, Illinois (1908)

Abstract

Based primarily on archival sources, this study focuses on the original design of the purpose-built Evanston Public Library, Illinois, opened in 1908. Throughout the course of its lifespan of half a century, the Library earned a reputation as one of the town’s most cherished and revered buildings. Its demise, along with that of other Carnegie library buildings, as well as the many that have survived, encourages us to reflect on the changing popularity of Carnegie libraries as public buildings in relation to their potential for ongoing use. Celebrating the legacy of the architectural progressivism inherent in Carnegie public library buildings enhances today's image of their origin, thereby helping to heighten expectations for their future. Re-assessing the reputation of the original designs of Carnegie libraries through case studies like Evanston adds weight to the argument that, where feasible, meaningful efforts should be made to conserve extant Carnegie library buildings.