Many libraries in the Pittsburgh region were built decades ago. These spaces continue to function as critical community hubs, especially in underserved areas, but they’ve outgrown their facilities. Some lack even basic amenities such as air-conditioning.
A new multi-million-dollar fund will now help these under-resourced libraries modernize their spaces and reach more patrons. The Allegheny Regional Asset District’s Transformative Community Library Fund is distributing $3.8 million across five libraries, which serve communities designated as distressed.
As defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 13 libraries in Allegheny County serve “economically distressed municipalities.” Among others, the criteria includes being located in a county having a personal income per capita below the 15th percentile of all counties and an annual average unemployment rate above the 70th percentile of all counties.
The funds will help five of them: Braddock Carnegie Library, Carnegie Free Library of Swissvale, Carnegie Library of McKeesport, Clairton Public Library and Carnegie Library of Homestead.
RAD is the largest single funder of libraries in Allegheny County, providing nearly $39 million in 2023. Rich Hudic, executive director of RAD, said creating a fund dedicated to libraries in distressed areas has been a longtime goal.
“The transformative fund is something that RAD has been working on for years, trying to make sure that resources are being distributed to communities that are challenged and under-resourced,” Mr. Hudic said. “That culminated last June, when we announced this special fund.”
Many of the projects are focused on renovations, as some of these libraries reside in historic buildings. So the funding will tackle those less glamorous projects that will help libraries keep running.
“If you're a patron, it's difficult to go into some of these old buildings if there's no air circulation,” Mr. Hudic said. “It could be small things like that, but they're transformational in the way that people will be able to use the library. You can't just look at it as bricks and mortar and some capital improvement. It's, what does that say to the residents and the citizens about what's important and how we value their experience?”
For Carnegie Free Library of Swissvale, $800,000 from RAD will help the library become fully accessible for the first time. Library director Kate Coluccio says the money will help them jumpstart a three-phase project to bring more accessible elevators and bathrooms.
“There's a lot of people in the area who just would love to use the library and can't because they're seniors and … they can't walk steps anymore.” she said. “That was the original impetus for the project was accessibility.”
Running a library out of 100-plus old buildings is a challenge. Basic amenities like having enough electrical outlets is a struggle.
And with a senior high rise building next to the Swissvale library and a high rate of seniors in the community, Ms. Coluccio says some vulnerable populations are unable to access the library.
“There's a wonderful man who lives there who used to come to the library quite often,” she said. “He loves to see people coming into the library, but he can't come anymore, because you can't get up the steps to make sure that the whole community can use this community resource.”
For the Carnegie Library of Homestead, the funds are about helping the library keep up with its own growth. The library, established in 1898, has seen unprecedented growth — 200% in the last decade.
Library director Charli Lyons said they are one of two libraries in the area that act as a “community anchor” with amenities such as an athletic club and music hall.
Local organizations take advantage of its meeting spaces, such as the Small Business Administration, which teaches people about homeownership, and Rainbow Kitchen, which helps low-income families. People also use these spaces for telehealth appointments and job interviews, she said.
Yet the lack of modern programming space is putting youth and adult programs at their capacity.
Also, a major problem is the lack of air conditioning, sometimes forcing the library to close on hot summer days. Now, a $500,000 grant from RAD will bring them that. The library also plans to add sensory friendly and private rooms, making it the first library in Allegheny County to do so.
RAD’s funds come at an especially critical time, as the pandemic forced library closures across the county and country and impacted daily operations.
“During the pandemic, everybody wanted to get the main resources out there, the food and the health and things like that,” she said. “But then they forgot about all of the capital projects that need to be done like new roofs for libraries, things like that, and RAD was ready to listen to what we needed.”
On top of pandemic-related obstacles, research shows that libraries located in traditionally under-resourced communities see less funding, smaller collections, smaller staff and shorter hours. And it’s these areas that perhaps need their services most.
For example, when it comes to Internet access, 56% of Internet users without home access say public libraries’ basic technology resources are very important to them, according to the Pew Research Center.
Over 15,000 people across Mon Valley communities depend on The Braddock Carnegie Library for free Internet, after school programs and more. Receiving the largest sum from RAD, the $1.25 million grant will give it a long-overdue renovation.
The money is going toward an already existing $18 million capital campaign to increase its usable space by 50% and make it fully accessible.
As Andrew Carnegie’s first free library in the United States, Vicki Vargo, executive director of the Braddock Carnegie Library Association, is eager to continue providing vital resources to the community.
“We offer things we offer that people generally take for granted,” she said. “Most people in our communities do not have a copy machine, do not have a computer. We have computers in the library that people can use to apply for a job, apply for unemployment and relief. You just get overwhelmed with how inspiring this Transformative library fund is.”
First Published: May 23, 2023, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: May 23, 2023, 3:03 p.m.
