This collection contains documents from the Lawrenceville Branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) from a few years after its opening in 1898 to near the end of the twentieth century (documents between 1901 – 1998). It includes the annual and monthly reports for the children's department (Juvenile) as well as monthly reports for combining the Adult and Juvenile departments. The annual and monthly reports mainly include statistics, service reports, branch notes, and special/holiday events.
Also included in this collection are other documents related to the library's functions, such as records of stories told to children of different visiting schools, story hour recommendations, and anniversary ephemera. There is also a folder containing branch surveys, job descriptions, spot circulation checks, and correspondence in the library related to its functions and staff. Other folders in the collection contain histories of the surrounding areas, how the surrounding areas established the names they are known by today, the diverse ethnicities, and a folders on other miscellaneous but specific topics such as Pittsburgh Bridges and promotional materials to celebrate Andrew Carnegie's 150th Birthday.
The remainder of the collection consists of plaques and awards given to the library for its service, as well as five oversized ledgers that are Registers of Borrowers from 1909-1932. These ledgers include the names and addresses of the patrons, as well as a 'remarks' column that contains information such as when a child reached adult age, if the membership was cancelled, or if there was a change in the patron's address. Interestingly, the 'remarks' column was also used to note when a person perhaps contracted or died from a disease, mainly diseases like scarlet fever, whooping cough, diphtheria, measles, chickenpox, mumps, polio, and meningitis to name a few. In addition, the 'remarks' column would note as to whether a patron was blacklisted, perhaps due to unreturned books or excessive fines incurred.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically by year for all annual and monthly reports of the Lawrenceville Branch. Combined annual and monthly reports are separated from those that are solely annual or monthly reports. The Juvenile reports are separate from those that are both Adult and Juvenile reports. The remaining documents are arranged by related topic.
Biographical / Historical
The Lawrenceville Branch of the Carnegie Public Library opened on May 11th, 1898, as the first branch in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) library system. The 279 Fisk Street Location was designed by architects Alden & Harrow, the same firm who designed the original Carnegie Institute in Oakland and other Carnegie branch libraries. This branch was known for its distinguished Children's Department, known for half a decade as the "Boys and Girls Department," providing one of the first separate children's rooms of a library in the country. Built on the grounds of a former cemetery, what was in the early 19th century known as the Lawrenceville Burying Mound, a headstone remained in the library's basement until 2002, when the tomb was discovered to be that of Henry Snowden who died as an infant in 1830.
Conditions Governing Access
There are no access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
There are no use restrictions.
Custodial History
The materials were removed from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Lawrenceville Branch and transferred to the William R. Oliver Special Collections Room.
Accruals
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Lawrenceville Branch sends new materials to the Oliver Room on an irregular schedule.
Preferred Citation
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Lawrenceville Branch 2, William R. Oliver Special Collections, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
