Editing Carnegie library (section)

==Design==
The [[Lawrenceville Branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh]] signaled a break from the Richardsonian style of libraries which was popularized in the mid 1800s. The ALA discouraged Richardsonian characteristics such as alcoved book halls with high shelves requiring a ladder, as well as sheltered galleries and niches, reminiscent of sixteenth-century Europe, largely because modern librarians could not supervise such spaces efficiently.<ref name="palace" />

[[James Bertram (Carnegie secretary)|Bertram]]'s architectural criteria included a lecture room, reading rooms for adults and children, a staff room, a centrally located librarian's desk, twelve-to-fifteen-foot ceilings, and large windows six to seven feet above the floor. No architectural style was recommended for the exterior, nor was it necessary to put Andrew Carnegie's name on the building. In the interests of efficiency, fireplaces were discouraged, since that wall space could be used to house more books.<ref name="palace" />

There were no strict requirements about furniture, but most of it came from the [[Library Bureau]], established by [[Melvil Dewey]] in 1888. It sold standardized chairs, tables, catalogs, and bookshelves.<ref name="palace" />