Cooke County Library receives $10,000 Carnegie grant

GAINESVILLE, Texas — The Cooke County Library has received a $10,000 gift from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, part of a special initiative marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The award comes through Carnegie Libraries 250, a program honoring the approximately 1,280 Carnegie Libraries still operating across the United States. The Cooke County Library opened in 1921 as one of 82 Texas Carnegie Libraries built through Andrew Carnegie's philanthropic program. Library Director Jennifer Johnson-Spence said the grant caught her off guard. "This donation is such a large support for the library, it is almost beyond belief," Johnson-Spence said. She initially suspected a scam when she received the notification but confirmed its authenticity after speaking directly with the foundation. The funds will primarily support continuing education for library staff and board members, allowing them to attend professional conferences they might not normally access. Additional portions have been allocated to children's programs and community outreach, including visits to child care facilities, pre-K, and kindergarten classes throughout the county. "Andrew Carnegie was very important in putting small libraries around the country," Johnson-Spence said. Dame Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation and former head of Oxford University, described libraries as "cradles of democracy" in a statement accompanying the grants. "Our founder, Andrew Carnegie, championed the free public library movement of the late 19th century, describing libraries as institutions that strengthen the democratic idea, the equality of the citizen, and the royalty of man," Richardson said. While the library relocated from its original building in 1967, the original Butterfield Stage building that housed it remains standing as a historical landmark in Gainesville. The library plans to use a portion of the funds to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary in ways that demonstrate why Carnegie Libraries remain essential to their communities. For more information about the Cooke County Library and its programs, visit the library at 200 S. Weaver St. in Gainesville or call 940-668-5530.