SKIPTON’S Carnegie-funded public library is being celebrated by the chairman of North Yorkshire County Council.

Councillor Jim Clark has a special interest in the Scottish-born philanthropist and steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie, who died 100 years ago this year, and who during his lifetime funded nearly 3,000 libraries worldwide, including two in North Yorkshire., in Skipton and in Harrogate.

As a fellow Scotsman, Cllr Clark wants to highlight the impact prominent Scots have had on North Yorkshire, and plans to carry out a series of talks on Carnegie, who went on to become one of the richest people ever in the United States.

Soon after taking up office in May, Cllr Clark hosted a number of receptions to thank the staff and volunteers who work in the county’s libraries, and during the summer, he visited Skipton for the official re-opening of the High Street library following its refurbishment.

Cllr Clark said: “I am sure Andrew Carnegie would have been very pleased to see both Harrogate and Skipton prospering as libraries well over 100 years since they opened.

“Harrogate library opened in 1906 and £7,500 was donated to its cost by Carnegie and was to be the first part of a new town hall complex for Harrogate called at the time a ‘municipal palace’, including a magnificent clock tower. Unfortunately, only the library was built and how different Harrogate would be today if the whole project had been completed!

“Skipton library was opened in 1910 and was built on land gifted by the Skipton Mechanics Institute and received a £3,000 grant from Carnegie (originally having asked for £6,000, in fact the final building costs were £3,000 and £450 for furnishing were paid from local rates)”

Andrew Carnegie was born in poor circumstances in Dunfermline, Scotland, and following immigration to the United States as a young man, he eventually built up the biggest steel company in the world.

On the sale of his business empire, he was considered to be at that time the richest man in the world.

After he retired, Carnegie became a philanthropist and spent most of his fortune for the good of society, mainly in the areas of education, culture and world peace.

He eventually underwrote the construction of 2,811 public libraries around the world, including those in Harrogate and in Skipton.

Carnegie wrote: “It was from my own early experience that I decided there was no use to which money could be applied so productively as the founding of a public library in a community which is willing to support it as a municipal enterprise.”

Cllr Clark added: “As we remember the 100th anniversary of the death of Andrew Carnegie, we should reflect upon the fact that the Harrogate and Skipton libraries are still going strong and true to the ideals of their benefactor and I am sure he would be so proud of the award of Library of the Year to Harrogate and would certainly celebrate the newly refurbished Skipton Library.

“For well over 100 years these libraries have contributed to the wellbeing, education and enjoyment of the people of North Yorkshire and are a fitting legacy of this remarkable Scotsman.”