Carnegie Carnegie: Standing grand, standing proud

Anyone who has visited the grand building at the top of the hill can tell you it exudes personality. The Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall’s facility, where our community has gathered for over a century, is so closely tied to what the library means to each of us. But for two months, the library’s floors have been nearly untrodden. Our collections sit, unbrowsed. Silence has reigned in our sumptuous music hall.

For me, the building’s interior feels like a ghostly memory. I first entered the Carnegie Carnegie months ago, when I interviewed for the position of library director. Since then, I can count my hours in the building on my own fingers and toes. It’s an uncanny feeling - since March 13, I have been immersed in nearly every aspect of the library, except for its most concrete and striking feature: the building itself.

Enter phase yellow! On May 15, Allegheny County moved to the next stepping stone of Pennsylvania’s re-opening plan. What does this mean for the Library & Music Hall and the community we serve? We all understand the traffic signal metaphor: red means “stop,” green means “go.” But yellow is a middle ground, subject to interpretation.

As one of 46 Allegheny County Library Association member libraries, we must comply with both ACLA and Pennsylvania Office of Commonwealth Libraries guidelines for re-opening our building. And while we cannot yet resume in-person library services, this move to yellow does allow our staff to gather (masks on faces and six feet apart) in our building once more.

As I look forward to stepping between those stately pillars into the entry hall, one part of my mind is preoccupied with practical concerns. Where to keep returned books as they disinfect in quarantine? How to arrange our computers to maintain social distancing? Which areas must be cleaned daily – and which hourly?

But another part of my mind is simply enraptured with this building I’ve barely visited, but toward which I already feel such a powerful attachment. The imagination leaps at thoughts of the rich history of this space – all the generations of Carnegie residents who have loved it, all the tiny and enormous moments of understanding and transformation experienced by its patrons over the decades.

If you haven’t seen it, I encourage you to visit our website at www.CarnegieCarnegie.org to view our 119th anniversary video. The story of our building is also the story of Carnegie itself.

One glorious day, we will throw open those doors and welcome you all back inside. Until then, rest assured that your items are all renewed, and you won’t accrue any late fees.

Our book drop will be open for returns starting May 22. When we do resume direct services, we hope to provide curbside pick-up of your holds. Stay tuned for more details about this service in the coming weeks.

Please visit www.CarnegieCarnegie.org or follow us at www.facebook.com/CarnegieCarnegie for details and updates. We will continue sharing information as we get it. We are answering phones, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.Give us a call! We miss talking to you, and we want to stay connected. As always, we take your questions, comments and concerns to heart.

Stay safe and healthy. We can’t wait to see you again.

Walker Evans is the Andrew Carnegie Free Library director.