ALLIANCE – Rodman Public Library is getting a special gift in 2026.

The library, which recently marked 125 years of library service in Alliance, is one of more than 1,000 libraries across the country who will receive $10,000 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 September 1904, the Alliance community received $25,000 to build its library and was one of 111 Carnegie Libraries in Ohio built through the historic program. Seven of those were academic institutions and 104 were public libraries like the one in Alliance that was located at Arch Avenue and High Street.

That building served the community well until 1963 when the present Rodman Public Library opened to the public.

“We are grateful for this gift – it is almost as if the library is receiving a present on its 125th birthday,” said RPL Director Eric Taggart. “We are also proud of our heritage as a Carnegie library, and we are fortunate to serve the Alliance community, which has always been supportive of Rodman Public Library.”

Rodman Public Library will receive the gift in January and may use the funds however it wishes to celebrate the 250th anniversary, further its mission, and benefit the community.

“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.”

Patrons are invited to share their Rodman Public Library photos, stories, and community celebrations at carnegielibraries.org.