In 1886, the industrialist Andrew Carnegie began funding the construction of free public libraries across the United States, eventually lending his name to 1,681 “Carnegie libraries.” Chances are you’ve stepped into a Carnegie library at some point — in San Francisco, the Mission , Golden Gate Valley and Chinatown branch libraries, among others, were all built with the help of the philanthropist’s grants.

Now, thanks to the Carnegie Corporation of New York , Carnegie libraries across the country will each receive a $10,000 donation as part of a $20 million initiative to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The funds, to be delivered in January 2026, are unrestricted, and can be used by the libraries in any way they see fit.

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