Live Oak Public Libraries to Receive $20,000 Gift from Carnegie Corporation of New York

Nov. 7, 2025 – Live Oak Public Libraries will receive a $20,000 gift from Carnegie Corporation of New York, the foundation established by Andrew Carnegie.

The award is part of Carnegie Libraries 250, a special initiative celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and honoring the roughly 1,280 Carnegie libraries still serving their communities across the United States.

Scottish immigrant Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of 1,681 free public libraries nationwide between 1886 and 1917. About 750 of those libraries continue to operate in their original buildings, while others have moved to new locations.

Live Oak Public Libraries’ Carnegie Library on East Henry Street, known during segregation as the “Carnegie Colored Public Library,” opened in 1915. The Bull Street Library opened a year later. The library system is proud to operate two of the 25 Carnegie libraries built in Georgia through this historic program.

“We are grateful and honored to receive this unexpected gift, recognizing the history of Carnegie libraries and the role they have played in communities nationwide for more than a century,” said Lola DeWitt, executive director of Live Oak Public Libraries.

“It is particularly timely as we look toward reopening the Carnegie Library on East Henry Street this spring as the Carnegie Library Heritage Center, once the restoration of the building and grounds is complete,” DeWitt said.

The East Henry Street building closed in August 2024 after substantial water intrusion during Tropical Storm Debby rendered it unsafe for occupancy. Restoration began in fall 2024.

“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,’” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York and former head of the University of Oxford. “We still believe this and are delighted to celebrate our connection to the libraries he founded.”

Live Oak Public Libraries will receive the gift in January 2026. The funds will support programs celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and further the library’s mission to serve the community.

For more information about Live Oak Public Libraries’ programs, resources, and services, visit www.liveoakpl.org. To explore an interactive map highlighting historic Carnegie libraries, visit www.carnegie-libraries.carnegie.org.

About Live Oak Public Libraries
Live Oak Public Libraries is a system of 16 branches serving Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty counties. Its mission is to inspire the community to grow, create, discover, and explore.

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