Earlsdon Carnegie Community Library, Earlsdon Avenue North, Coventry

Image: © A J Paxton Taken: 12 Jun 2021

One of three Carnegie libraries in Coventry; the others are on Broad Street in Foleshill and on Walsgrave Road in Stoke. Carnegie libraries were built with money given by the Scottish-American business magnate Andrew Carnegie; over 2000 were constructed between 1886 and 1929, 660 of them in Britain & Ireland. The libraries were an expression of his belief in self-help and were deliberately built in prominent public places, typically with a grand entrance with steps, symbolising the raising up of the reader through learning, and usually with a lamp, symbol of enlightenment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_library The city of Coventry approached Carnegie and his foundation in 1910 for funding to build three branch libraries, and was awarded £10000, on condition the city provided the land and an additional rate (tax) to cover their running costs. https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/file/20370/req00916 The Coventry libraries are built in red brick with sandstone dressings in a baroque style. They are all still in use as libraries, although Earlsdon, which opened in 1913, was threatened with closure by the City Council and was rescued by volunteers, who formed a charity in 2019. https://earlsdonlibrary.org.uk/about-us/

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