Free and Public

Name: Free and Public
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SKU: 9781786837745
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Andrew Carnegie and the Libraries of Wales

By Ralph A. Griffiths

Summary

Free and Public by Ralph A. Griffiths explores the evolution of public access to information and education through the history of libraries and institutions. The book travels through various historical periods, examining how public libraries became a cornerstone for access to knowledge and democratic ideals. Griffiths delves into the societal and cultural impacts that libraries have had over the years, demonstrating their importance in the landscape of modern citizenship and education.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you have an interest in the evolution of public libraries and their impact on society. It delves into historical milestones and explores how these institutions have become accessible hubs for learning and community engagement, making it a captivating read for history enthusiasts and library lovers alike.

Free and Public

A study of the thirty-five libraries built by Andrew Carnegie in Wales as an illustration of his world-wide commitment to the public library movement at the beginning of the twentieth century. These libraries and their social, cultural and architectural significance have never been studied before.

• The first study of the Carnegie libraries built in Wales in the Edwardian Age. • As ‘the richest man in the world’, the book illustrates Carnegie’s commitment to the provision of free and public libraries for all, regardless of age and gender. • The buildings were – and in many cases still are − at the heart of towns and industrial communities across Wales (as they were elsewhere in the USA and the British Empire). • The libraries shed light on the social, political, cultural and architectural history of Edwardian Wales.

Description

A study of the thirty-five Carnegie libraries built in towns and industrial communities in Wales before the First World War. The library system is in a transformative phase that attracts much attention; these Carnegie buildings have never been fully recorded, and some are in critical condition.

This book illustrates their social, cultural, and architectural significance, and how they reflect Carnegie's extraordinary philanthropic vision. It reviews the free and public library system in Wales and Great Britain from the first Public Libraries Act of 1850, followed by an account of Carnegie's career as 'the richest man in the world' and the importance he attached to promoting libraries for all, regardless of age and gender.

The haphazard development of public libraries in the nineteenth century is the context in which Carnegie's links with Wales are noted, along with the circles in which he moved in Britain. The largest section discusses the libraries' locations, sites and patrons, and the buildings themselves.

It concludes with Carnegie's legacy in Wales, not least the role of his UK Trust in the county library movement after 1911.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781786837745

Publisher: University of Wales Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 June 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: University of Wales Press

Illustration: Not illustrated

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 176

Collections

Arts & Culture Education & Reference History & Military Non-Fiction Ralph A. Griffiths Science & Nature

About the Author

This book will appeal to the general reader who is alert to the value of public libraries and those who use them, the communities where the Carnegie libraries are situated, those with specialist interest in an authoritative account suitable for schools, colleges and universities, those with a comparative interest in library development and philanthropy in the English-speaking world and those with an interest in Andrew Carnegie and his extraordinary brand of philanthropy. It will also be of interest to the public bodies local authorities and Welsh Assembly Government that have statutory responsibilities for maintaining public libraries in Wales.