Rhinelander library receives $10,000 Carnegie gift for historic building restoration

The Rhinelander District Library will receive a $10,000 gift from Carnegie Corporation of New York to help restore its historic Carnegie-era entrance, library officials announced late last month.
The award is part of Carnegie Libraries 250, a nationwide initiative celebrating the approaching 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence while honoring the approximately 1,280 Carnegie Libraries still serving American communities.
The Rhinelander library, which opened in 1903, is one of 22 operating libraries in Wisconsin built through Andrew Carnegie’s historic funding program. Between 1886 and 1917, the Scottish immigrant philanthropist funded construction of 1,681 free public libraries across the United States. Of the 65 Carnegie-funded libraries originally built in Wisconsin, about 47 remain today.
“This gift honors the history of Carnegie Libraries and the role they have played in communities nationwide for more than a century,” said Virginia Roberts, the library’s director. “It is a timely gift, offered as the board prepares to phase renovations beginning with the Carnegie entrance exterior and the interior of the original Carnegie Library.”
Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation and former head of the University of Oxford, emphasized the enduring relevance of Carnegie’s vision. “Our founder, Andrew Carnegie, who championed the free public library movement of the late 19th century, described libraries as ‘cradles of democracy’ that ‘strengthen the democratic idea, the equality of the citizen, and the royalty of man,’” she said. “We still believe this and are delighted to celebrate our connection to the libraries he founded.”

The library will receive the funds in January 2026. The gift comes as the institution pursues a broader $7 million capital campaign launched in June 2024 to renovate and expand the historic facility.
For 128 years, the Rhinelander District Library has served as a community cornerstone. Since its modest beginning and the 1904 Carnegie building, the library has expanded significantly, including a 1985 addition that nearly doubled its size.
Today, the library serves more than 9,000 cardholders and receives over 67,000 annual visits. It circulates approximately 128,000 materials each year and offers hundreds of programs for all age groups. The library also provides free internet access, notary services, local history archives, and home delivery for homebound individuals.
The planned renovation and expansion will add 7,650 square feet of space while preserving the historic Carnegie building.
More information about the library and its capital campaign is available at rhinelanderlibrary.org. Those wishing to learn more about the Carnegie gift or share their library stories can visit carnegielibraries.org.