LYNDON, Kan. – Lyndon Carnegie Library will receive a $10,000 gift from Carnegie Corporation of New York, the foundation established by Andrew Carnegie. The award is part of Carnegie Libraries 250, a special initiative celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and honoring the roughly 1,280 Carnegie Libraries still serving their communities across the United States.
Scottish immigrant Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of 1,681 free public libraries nationwide between 1886 and 1917. Approximately 750 of them continue to use their original buildings, while others have moved to new locations.
Opened in 1910, the Lyndon Carnegie Library is one of 56 Carnegie libraries built in Kansas through this historic program.
“This is a great honor for our small Carnegie library!” said Sarah Walker-Hitt, who was the library’s director for 37 years.
“Through her tenure at the library, Walker-Hitt made sure the library stayed in pristine condition with updates and a new roof to stop leaks” said Genea Reynolds, the library’s current director. “She also worked to list the library on the [National Register of Historic Places] so that it would always stay a library. I have been the director for the past nine years, and I love the character of this library and the story.”
“Our founder, Andrew Carnegie, who championed the free public library movement of the late 19th century, described libraries as ‘cradles of democracy’ that ‘strengthen the democratic idea, the equality of the citizen, and the royalty of man,’” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie and former head of the University of Oxford. “We still believe this and are delighted to celebrate our connection to the libraries he founded.”
Lyndon Carnegie Library will receive the gift in January 2026, and can use the funds to celebrate the 250th anniversary, further the library’s mission, and benefit the community.
Patrons are invited to share their Lyndon Carnegie Library photos and stories at carnegielibraries.org.
For more information, contact Reynolds at greynolds@lyndonlibrary.org or 785-828-4520, or stop by the library at 127 E. Sixth St., Lyndon, Kan.
