A Carnagie Library

The red mission tiles are reflected in the windows, a fitting metaphor to a building constructed in 1903 to absorb knowledge and history.  This stately Romanesque building in San Luis Obispo, California, is one of 1,684 libraries built in the United States between 1883 and 1929, with money donated by businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnagie.

These old buildings are worth seeking out when you travel.  They are all architectural beauties with many fine examples of Beaux-Arts, Italian Renaissance, Spanish Colonial, Baroque and Classical Revival.  Often these libraries were the most impressive buildings in the small communities that benefited from Carnagie's patronage.

Sadly, some of them have been razed to make room for larger, more modern multi-media centers where books are secondary to computer screens.  In San Luis Obispo, however, the Historical Center now occupies the building.  Its exhibits reflect the history of the county and a research center is located on the lower level.  There's a wonderful gift shop with arts and crafts by local artists and (appropriately) many books are for sale on California history.

Nostalgia for musty old books swept over me as a wandered through the museum.  In my hometown of Coffeyville, Kansas, we had a magnificent red brick Carnagie Library only blocks from my house.  I spent every summer as a girl among its stacks.  Kindles and Nooks are convenient, but they will never replace that delicious anticipation of opening up a cloth-bound book with beautiful illustrations.  What new world will I discover?  What story will unfold?  It truly is a "never ending" adventure.