The following list of Carnegie libraries in Tennessee provides detailed information on United States Carnegie libraries in Tennessee, where 12 free public libraries were built from nine grants (totaling $310,500) awarded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York from 1900 to 1917. In addition, a public library was constructed at a federally owned veterans' hospital, and seven academic libraries were built at academic institutions (totaling $295,000). Tennesseans rejected several proposed Carnegie libraries, including one in 1889 at Johnson City, his first library offer in the U.S. outside Pennsylvania. Other towns that rejected Carnegie libraries included Cleveland, Columbia, Franklin, and Chattanooga (for an African-American branch). For various reasons, Carnegie also refused requests for libraries at Sparta, Knoxville, Clarksville, Martin, and Maryville College. Nevertheless, by 1919, Carnegie had built twenty library buildings in Tennessee, including more academic and African-American libraries than any other southern state. Carnegie also authorized the single largest grant for an academic library on an American university campus in Tennessee. In total, Tennessee ranked fourth in the South in the total number of Carnegie libraries, lagging behind only Texas, Georgia, and Kentucky.Jones, Robbie D. "What's in a Name? Tennessee's Carnegie Libraries & Civic Reform, 1889-1919." Master's Thesis, Middle Tennessee State University, 2002.

Tennessee's twenty Carnegie libraries were groundbreaking civic spaces, whether located in small towns, large cities, or university campuses. Designed by professional architects, these public facilities were intended to be more than book halls and reading rooms; rather, Tennesseans wanted their Carnegie libraries to serve as community centers, even as "Universities of the People," where men, women, and children of all races and classes could be enlightened, educated, or entertained. Carnegie's free library program was a crucial component of the southern Progressives' mantra that good roads, good schools, and good libraries would build a better New South.Jones, 2002: master's thesis abstract

Key

Public libraries

LibraryCity ortown ImageDategrantedGrantamountLocation Notes 1 Brownsville Carnegie Library Brownsville $7,500 121 W. Main St. Built 1910–1912; open 1912–2002, now Chamber of Commerce; possibly designed by Neander M. Woods Jr., Memphis; rehabbed 1993Jones, 2002: 175 Listed on National Register of Historic Places in 2018. 2 Old Library Building Chattanooga $50,000 200 E. 8th St. Built 1903–1905; open 1905–1940, rehabbed late 1960s for private offices; listed on National Register of Historic Places, 1973; designed by Reuben H. Hunt, Chattanooga, TNJones, 2002: 166 3 Etowah Etowah $8,000 723-725 Ohio Ave. Built 1915–1916; still functions as a library; also serves as Etowah's city hall; designed by unnamed local architect/engineer/draftsman; listed on National Register of Historic Places, 2003Jones, 2002: 182 4 Greeneville Greeneville $10,000 109 West Summer St. Built 1914–1915; closed 1970s; listed on National Register of Historic Places, 1974; designed by Aaron T. Simmons, Bloomington, IL; also women's rest room until 1975; National Guard headquarters late 1970s; vacantJones, 2002: 181 5 Harriman Harriman $10,000 601 Walden St. Built 1909–1910; still in use as a public library; listed on National Register of Historic Places, 1989; designed by Paul O. Moratz, Bloomington, ILJones, 2002: 174 6 Jackson Jackson $30,000 305 E. College St. Built 1901–1903; closed 1968, rehabbed 1981 as an art and history center; listed on National Register of Historic Places, 1975; designed by Anthony Ten Eyck Brown and Frederick H. Brown, NashvilleJones, 2002: 168 7 Johnson City Johnson City $16,000 Built 1902–1904, part of Mountain Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers; now a lecture hall; National Historic Landmark; designed by Joseph H. Freeland, NYC; rehabbed 1998Jones, 2002: 169 8 Knoxville Knoxville $10,000 Built 1916–1918; Free Colored Carnegie Branch, demolished 1965; designed by Albert B. Baumann, Knoxville; closed 1965Jones, 2002: 184 9 Nashville Main Nashville $100,000 222 8th Ave. N. Built 1904; demolished 1963; designed by Albert Randolph Ross, NYC, with Thompson, Gibel & Asmus, Nashville (Supervising Architects); integrated 1949–1954; closed 1963 and replaced with Ben West Library 1963-1965Jones, 2002: 167 10 Nashville Carnegie Nashville January 31, 1912 $25,000 1001 Monroe St. Built 1913–1915, still in use as a public library; part of the Buena Vista Historic District, 1980; designed by Clarence K. Colley, Nashville; rehabbed 1981–1983; designated Local LandmarkJones, 2002: 179 11 Nashville East Nashville January 31, 1912 $25,000 206 Gallatin Ave. Built 1917–1919, still in use as a public library; listed on National Register of Historic Places, 1982; designed by Clarence K. Colley, Nashville; restored 1998–2000; designated Local LandmarkJones, 2002: 185 12 Nashville Negro Branch Nashville January 31, 1912 $25,000 220 12th Ave. N. Built 1916–1918; closed 1949, demolished ca.1969; designed by Clarence K. Colley and Robert Sharp, NashvilleJones, 2002: 180 13 Union City Union City $10,000 Built 1910; demolished by WPA, 1938; designed by Henry D. Whitfield, NYCJones, 2002: 176

Academic libraries InstitutionLocality ImageDategrantedGrantamountLocation Notes 1 Fisk University Nashville $20,000 1720 Meharry Blvd. Fisk University Carnegie Library, now Fisk's Academic Building; built 1908–1909, listed on National Register of Historic Places, 1977 (African-American University); design attributed to Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, Boston, and built by Gabriel Moses McKissack III, Nashville; rehabbed 1995Jones, 2002: 171 2 Knoxville College Knoxville $10,000 901 Knoxville College Dr. Built 1909; demolished 1966; Alumni Memorial Library built in same location in 1967 (African-American University); designed by Martin E. Parmelee, KnoxvilleJones, 2002: 173 3 Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate $20,000 Campus quad Built 1904–1906; still in use as an academic library; design attributed to Gideon T. Spencer, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds, LMUJones, 2002: 170 4 Peabody College for Teachers Nashville $180,000 1210 21st Ave. S. Built 1917–1919; still in use as an academic library; designated National Historic Landmark, 1965; listed on NRHP, 1966; designed by Edward L. Tilton, NYC; George Peabody College for Teachers merged in 1979 with Vanderbilt UniversityJones, 2002: 183 5 University of Tennessee Knoxville $40,000 1404 Circle Dr. Built 1910–1911; converted into administrative offices with PWA funds in 1934, demolished above foundations. Now the Austin Peay Building, houses the department of psychology; designed by Patton & Miller, Chicago, with Martin Parmelee, Knoxville (supervising architect)Jones, 2002: 1726Tusculum CollegeTusculumca.1908$10,500910 Erwin HwyBuilt 1910–1911, still in use as an academic library; listed on National Register of Historic Places, 1981; half of $22,000 grant shared with Washington College; possibly designed by Patton & Miller, ChicagoJones, 2002: 1777Washington CollegeLimestoneca.1908$10,500116 Doak LaneBuilt 1909–1910, vacant; listed on National Register of Historic Places, 2002; half of $22,000 grant shared with Tusculum College; academy closed 2000Jones, 2002: 178

See also List of libraries in the United States

Notes

References

Jones, Robbie D. (2002). "What's in a Name? Tennessee's Carnegie Libraries & Civic Reform in the New South, 1889-1919." Master's Thesis, Middle Tennessee State University.

Note: The above references, while all authoritative, are not entirely mutually consistent. Some details of this list may have been drawn from one of the references without support from the others. Reader discretion is advised.