The Best Gift: Montana's Carnegie Libraries

by Kate Hampton

Between 1910 and 1922, seventeen Montana communities built libraries with money given to them by the era's richest man, Andrew Carnegie. Fifteen of those libraries stand today, and their story is compellingly told here by architectural historian Kate Hampton . Just as he did in Hand The Barns of Montana , photographer Tom Ferris provides stunning detail of both the classic and unusual architectural elements of these iconic buildings. Hand-drawn architectural renderings and other historical images combine to create a detailed portrait of Carnegie's rich legacy in Montana. All book proceeds to benefit Montana's public libraries!

120 pages, Hardcover

Published August 27, 2019

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures, informative history.

[John J · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love readinglibraries, and history, you will enjoy this book.

[Cheryle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The library where I developed my love of reading and libraries was a Carnegie library in Iowa. I now live in Montana and wanted to read more about the 17 Carnegie's that were built here. It is a fascinating story of how the rich Carnegie gave funds to build small town libraries due to the early exposure he had of a man who opened his private library to the young Carnegie.
Between 1910 and 1922, seventeen Montana communities built libraries with money given to them by the era's richest man, Andrew Carnegie. Fifteen of those libraries stand today, and their story is compellingly told here by architectural historian Kate Hampton. Just as he did in Hand Raised: The Barns of Montana, photographer Tom Ferris provides stunning detail of both the classic and unusual architectural elements of these iconic buildings. Hand-drawn architectural renderings and other historical images combine to create a detailed portrait of Carnegie's rich legacy in Montana. All book proceeds benefit Montana historic preservation

[Einar Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My friend and public history mentor Katy Schneid Hampton recently published The Best Gift, which documents the histories of Montana’s remaining Carnegie-funded libraries. Her wonderful text explains how each community rallied to establish libraries — bastions of democracy, in my opinion — in an era when economics often favored business interests over luxuries such as reading for fun.

Idaho Springs, my hometown, still uses its Carnegie-funded library building as a library. It’s too easy to take for granted these institutions and forget our predecessors who established libraries so long ago. Katy and her colleagues have crafted an engaging book that recovers such achievements for current and future generations. Check it out or, better yet, buy one for yourself and one for your local library.