The Homewood Branch of the Carnegie Library was dedicated on March 10, 1910, and officially opened for circulation on March 14, 1910. It was the ninth and last of the Carnegie branches to be built until 1964. Its budget exceeded that of any other branch, costing a total of $150,000. In 1902 the Homewood Board of Trade formed a Library Committee, which met with and convinced Andrew Carnegie to give back to the Homewood community by providing funding for a public library. Carnegie himself purchased the building site in 1903. All previous branches had been purchased by the city. The Committee petitioned Carnegie for a sum of $150,000 with which to build the branch in 1904. Carnegie refused until 1906, upon the agreement that the Committee would pay $15,000 annually for the expenses of general upkeep. At the time of its opening, the branch had a total collection of 20,000 volumes, of which 4,000 were children's books.
Throughout its existence, the Homewood Branch has focused on giving back to and working alongside the community. In 1954, the Homewood library became the first of the Carnegie branches to have a Teen-Age Room, which was governed by a Youth Council made up of local middle- and high school students. Similarly, the Homewood Branch was also the first of the branches to have organized African American poetry and historical clubs. Over the years it has worked with various community and cultural groups, including the YMCA, the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), and the University of Pittsburgh. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the Homewood Branch offered extensive inner-city services and community relations projects and programs. The Branch offered Swahili classes through CCAC, incorporated an African American book collection, hired an African storyteller, tutored local students through the Rockwell International Tutoring Program, and created a Toy Lending Library for parents of small children. The African American Collection includes the John E. Wideman Collection, which was dedicated during the Branch's 75th Anniversary celebrations in 1985. The Wideman Collection is made up of the works of African American authors of fiction, non-fiction, and career materials.
The Branch is also home to works of art. As part of the Public Works of Art Project in 1934, artist Marcella Comes painted two works for the Branch. One painting features characters from internationally known children's fiction, such as Arabian Nights, King Arthur, Pinocchio, and Alice in Wonderland; the other features characters from American literature for older children, including characters from the stories of Washington Irving, Louisa May Alcott, and Mark Twain. The paintings hang in the Boys and Girls Department of the Branch. Also housed in the library is a memorial mural dedicated to Roberto Clemente. It was added in 1975, and was painted by students of the Carnegie Institute Saturday art class.
The Homewood Branch has undergone extensive renovations. The first set of renovations took place between 1971 and 1974, and included the addition of a multimedia mezzanine and multiple safety measures. The Branch was the first of fourteen Carnegie branches to undergo renovations in 2003. Additions included an elevator, auditorium, meeting rooms, new restrooms, and the restoration of windows and skylights/ the multimedia mezzanine was replaced by the African American Collection.
The collection consists of seven series spanning the years 1902-2002. The first part of the collection contains records pertaining to annual and monthly reports and circulation statistics; it makes up the majority of the collection. The second part of the collection is made up of two series, and contains the records of the Advisory Board and records pertaining to Branch renovations, including meeting minutes, correspondence, legal documents, and architectural reports and schematics. The third part of the collection is also made up of three series, and contains historical and audio/visual materials. It includes books, correspondence, slides, audiotapes, films, photographs, newspaper articles, and a model of the renovated library.
The materials have been separated into seven series and arranged primarily by year or subject. Most of the collection has been arranged according to its original order, although materials similar in content have been combined where appropriate. Similarly, loose pictures and newspaper clippings previously located in the oversize scrapbook have been moved to their respective folders in the series Branch History & Memorabilia.
There are no access restrictions.
There are no use restrictions.
The materials were removed from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Homewood Branch and transferred to the William R. Oliver Special Collections Room.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Homewood Branch sends new materials to the Oliver Room on an irregular schedule.
Series I Homewood Branch Reports & Statistics 1910-1989 Scope and Contents The Reports & Statistics series contains annual and monthly reports from both the entire branch and the Boys and Girls Department, as well as monthly Inner-City Services reports and circulation statistics. |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Annual Reports 1910-1919 | 1 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Annual Reports 1920-1929 | 1 | 2 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Annual Reports 1930-1939 | 1 | 3 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Annual Reports 1940-1944 | 1 | 4 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Annual Reports 1945-1949 | 1 | 5 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Annual Reports 1950-1952 | 1 | 6 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Annual Reports 1954-1959 | 1 | 7 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Annual Reports 1960-1969 | 2 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Annual Reports 1970-1972 | 2 | 2 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Annual Reports 1980-1986 | 2 | 3 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Annual Reports 1910-1919 | 2 | 4 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Annual Reports 1920-1929 | 2 | 5 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Annual Reports 1930-1939 | 2 | 6 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Annual Reports 1940-1950 | 2 | 7 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Annual Reports 1960-1966 | 2 | 8 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1910-1913 | 3 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1914-1917 | 3 | 2 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1926-1928 | 3 | 3 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1929-1932 | 3 | 4 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1935-1939 | 3 | 5 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1940-1945 | 3 | 6 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1946 | 4 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1947 | 4 | 2 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1948 | 4 | 3 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1949 | 4 | 4 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1950 | 4 | 5 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1951 | 4 | 6 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1952 | 4 | 7 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1953 | 4 | 8 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1954 | 4 | 9 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1955 | 4 | 10 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1956 | 4 | 11 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1957 | 4 | 12 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1958 | 4 | 13 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1959 | 4 | 14 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1960 | 4 | 15 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1961 | 4 | 16 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1962 | 4 | 17 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1963 | 4 | 18 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1964 | 4 | 19 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1965 | 4 | 20 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1966 | 4 | 21 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1967 | 4 | 22 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1968 | 4 | 23 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1969 | 4 | 24 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1970 | 4 | 25 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1971 | 4 | 26 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1980 | 5 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1981 | 5 | 2 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1982 | 5 | 3 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1983 | 5 | 4 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1984 | 5 | 5 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1985 | 5 | 6 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1986 | 5 | 7 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1987 | 5 | 8 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1988 | 5 | 9 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood Branch Juvenile Monthly Reports 1989 | 5 | 10 |
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| box | folder | | Inner-City Services Monthly Reports 1971 | 5 | 11 |
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| box | folder | | Circulation Statistics 1914-1946 | 5 | 12 |
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Series II Advisory Board 1959-1982 Scope and Contents The Advisory Board series consists of correspondence to and from the Advisory Board regarding the running of the Branch and the Board, meeting minutes, budget records, and Board member lists. |
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| box | folder | | Advisory Board Minutes & Correspondence 1959-1969 | 5 | 13 |
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| box | folder | | Advisory Board Minutes & Correspondence 1970-1971 | 5 | 14 |
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| box | folder | | Advisory Board Minutes & Correspondence 1972-1982 | 5 | 15 |
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Series III Branch Renovations 1971-2002 Scope and Contents The Branch Renovations series is made up of legal materials, correspondence, and budget information regarding the renovations completed in the 1970s. Also included are renovation proposals and schematics from architectural firms from the planning stages of the 2003 renovations. |
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| box | folder | | Branch Renovation Materials 1971 | 6 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Branch Renovation Materials 1971 | 6 | 2 |
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| box | folder | | Branch Renovation Materials 1972-1973 | 6 | 3 |
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| box | folder | | Branch Renovation Materials 1974 | 6 | 4 |
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| box | folder | | Branch Renovation Materials 1975-1989 | 6 | 5 |
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| box | folder | | Loysen & Associates Fee Proposal 2001 | 7 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Pfaffman & Associates Design Submission 2002 | 7 | 2 |
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| box | folder | | Pfaffman & Associates Phase Drawings & Illustrations 2002 | 7 | 3 |
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Series IV Special Services & Collections 1949-1997 Scope and Contents The Special Services & Collections series contains information regarding Homewood Branch's involvement in the Homewood-Brushton community, special programs offered through the Branch, and special collections held at the Homewood Branch. |
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| box | folder | | Swahili Classes at CCAC 1971-1974 | 8 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Toy Lending Library 1980 | 8 | 2 |
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| box | folder | | Rockwell International Tutoring Program 1980-1987 | 8 | 3 |
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| box | folder | | Programs & Community Involvement (various) 1970-1989 | 8 | 4 |
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| box | folder | | Homewood-Brusthon Community Information 1949-1989 | 8 | 5 |
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| box | folder | | John Edgar Wideman Collection 1985-1987 | 8 | 6 |
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| box | folder | | Carolyn Howe Collection 1994-1997 | 8 | 7 |
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Series V Branch History & Memorabilia 1902-1985 Scope and Contents The Branch History & Memorabilia series contains information on the Branch's history, as well as on special events, such as the Branch Opening, anniversaries and open houses. Materials include newspaper articles, event fliers, correspondence, programs, information on Carnegie Library history, guestbooks from the 1963 Open House, a souvenir program from the 1902 Mardi Gras Carnival, photographs of the library and the community, a collections book from 1921 to 1953, and the head librarian's logbook from 1911 to 1914. |
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| box | folder | | Newspaper Articles 1910-1989 | 9 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Events & Scrapbook Materials 1907-1975 | 9 | 2 |
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| box | folder | | Branch Anniversaries 1945-1985 | 9 | 3 |
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| box | object | | Open House Guestbook 1963 | 9 | 1 |
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| box | object | | Open House Guestbook 1963 | 9 | 2 |
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| box | object | | Mardi Gras Carnival & Fair Souvenir Program 1902 | 10 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Photographs 1917-1982 | 10 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Carnegie Library History 1945-1986 | 10 | 2 |
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| box | object | | Librarian's Daily Logbook 1911-1914 | 10 | 2 |
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| box | object | | Collection Book 1921-1953 | 10 | 3 |
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Series VI Audio/Visual Materials 1970-1980 Scope and Contents The Audio/Visual Materials series is made up of loose audio tapes, film reels, and color slides from various events and programs from the 1970s. |
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| box | object | | Audio Cassettes (9) 1970-1980 | 11 | 1 |
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| box | reel | | Film Reels (5) 1975-1977 | 11 | 1 |
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| box | folder | | Color Slides (304) 1975-1977 | 11 | 1 |
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Series VII Oversized Materials 1910 2002 Scope and Contents The Oversize Materials series consists of two items. The first is a scrapbook from 1910, put together by the librarians at the Branch. It contains correspondence from patrons, library cards, and various other materials. The second item of the oversize collection is a to-scale model of the renovated Branch from 2002. |
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| object | | Branch Model 2002 | 2 |
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