Book it: Pittsburgh artists create Carnegie Library cards to open the pages for all
Andrew Carnegie’s words “Free to the People” are inscribed above the entrance to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland.
To celebrate the library’s 125th anniversary, four Pittsburgh artists were commissioned to design library cards based on their interpretation of what “Free to the People” means.
The commemorative cards are available while supplies last.
“We are thrilled with the designs,” said Mary Frances Cooper, president and director of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. “It will be difficult to pick just one. I tell people to bring the whole family, then everyone can get a different card. It’s a wonderful piece of art to carry around.”
Thinking of patrons carrying a card she designed means a lot to Janel Young.
She included an image based on her “Black Girl Magic” series, which focuses on African American hairstyles. A young girl named Coco is standing on books. At a chalkboard, she is crossing out the word “to” in the saying.
“It is cool to have a little Black girl who is super expressive,” said Young, a Beltzhoover native who lives on the North Side. “Standing on books is a metaphor for using reading to better yourself.”
Young called books a form of liberation. They weren’t always accessible.
“I was always in the library,” she said. “I felt like I was able to escape to another world in a book. There is nothing like finishing a book and turning the last page.”
Her mother, Carla Young, is a reading specialist and English teacher, and introduced her daughter to books. They visited libraries on the South Side, Mount Washington, East Liberty and Oakland.
The North Side location, where Cue Perry grew up, was the library he visited most often.
Being a part of Carnegie Library history is “pretty cool,” he said.
Perry, who lives in the Ohringer building in Braddock, said his message is about spreading love.
“It costs zero dollars to spread love,” he said. “When people see this card, I want them to think about a moment they felt love.”
His love for art came from his mother, Anita Perry, a former middle school English teacher. She would bring him to the library where he would find books on how to draw animals and other art books.
The library has a special meaning for D.S. Kinsel’s family. His wife, Anqwenique, performed at the Oakland location and his great-grandfather Joseph Smith worked there for many years.
“It is an honor being a part of the library card designs,” Kinsel said. “My great-grandfather’s job supported me being here today.”
Kinsel is an artist, entrepreneur and co-founder of Boom Concepts, which he describes “as an inspirational hub devoted to the advancement of black and brown artists representing marginalized communities.” A Garfield resident, he grew up in the Hill District, where he would walk to the library.
“It was a huge piece of my life,” said Kinsel, who incorporated text and layering to create shapes and patterns and a graffiti aesthetic to his card. “I believe the library allows for exploration of knowledge, culture and love by being ‘Free To The People.’ Free knowledge, free culture, and free love is a reason for folks to come together.”
Takara Canty, of Garfield Heights, is inspired by her mother who painted using watercolor and acrylic and artists such as Frida Kahlo. Canty teaches at-risk kids art.
“Completing a compelling fresh, piece of artwork is the only thing that satisfies this thirst to create,” Canty said in a news release. “Unapologetically not caring if it is beautiful but allowing an outpour of emotion in color and substance to create an existence of a story that first was cultivated through my mind.”
Currently, 17 library locations are open for limited services. The Downtown branch is being renovated and is planned to open next month in a larger footprint of 20,000 square feet, with a children’s space and teen area, Cooper said.
“People love to browse books and see the collections we have,” said Cooper. “If you want a card, we will work with you to get it. Everyone has a library story and we want to hear it.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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