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WHEREAS, public libraries serve as the cornerstone of public education in America; and
WHEREAS, Andrew Carnegie provided funding and initiative for the creation of dozens of public libraries across Allegheny County and thousands more across the world; and
WHEREAS, the Carnegie Libraries have become a symbol of community involvement in the City of Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny was established on February 20, 1890; and
WHEREAS, the library was designed by Smithmeyer and Pelz, the architects who built the Library of Congress; and
WHEREAS, the clock tower served as a beacon for the North Side; and
WHEREAS, the Carnegie Hall adjacent to the library was the first Carnegie Hall in the nation; and
WHEREAS, the library housed over 100,000 volumes at its opening; and
WHEREAS, over 10,000 library cards were issued over the first three years of operation; and
WHEREAS, the library served Allegheny City and then the City of Pittsburgh for over a century;
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh remembers the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny for providing 105 years of resources and services to the North Side and the city as a whole.