Allegheny Regional Branch
🏢 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Allegheny Regional Branch
Pittsburgh's North Side flagship library, the Allegheny Regional Branch opened in 2009 in a light-filled 15,500-square-foot building on Federal Street and holds the city's largest collection of Allegheny City historical materials — a fitting legacy for the neighborhood that gave Andrew Carnegie his first American library commission.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–8pm |
| Thursday | 10am–8pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1230 Federal Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Phone: (412) 237-1890
Website: carnegielibrary.org
Plus Code: 86GXFX4V+H8 (Pittsburgh, PA)
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📖 About Allegheny Regional Branch
The Allegheny Regional Branch carries a storied lineage: the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny, which opened in 1890 at the request of Andrew Carnegie and Allegheny City, was the first Carnegie library commissioned in the United States and the site at which President Benjamin Harrison officiated the dedication. That landmark building — designed by John L. Smithmeyer and Paul J. Pelz (architects of the Library of Congress) in Romanesque Revival granite — later became a theater and eventually the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh's Museum Lab after a 2006 lightning strike forced the library to relocate. The current branch opened in 2009 at 1230 Federal Street, bringing a contemporary 15,500-square-foot glass-and-steel design to the Central Northside neighborhood. Today it houses the second-largest circulating collection in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh system (more than 100,000 volumes), a curated Allegheny City history archive of over 1,500 items, a dedicated teen digital space (The Labs), and an outdoor courtyard terrace that makes it a gathering hub for the North Side community.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Allegheny City history archive — over 1,500 items documenting the North Side's history as the independent City of Allegheny (annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907)
- Second-largest circulating collection in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh system with more than 100,000 volumes
- The Labs — teen-focused digital and recording space for creative media projects, part of CLP's system-wide teen initiative
- Contemporary 15,500-square-foot building with a glass-dominated design, outdoor courtyard/terrace, and after-hours exterior book return
- Open four evenings a week until 8 p.m. (Monday through Thursday) — one of the longest evening schedules in the CLP network
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
All Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh cardholders can access these free digital resources:
📚 Services
- Allegheny City history archive (1,500+ primary sources on North Side & regional history)
- The Labs teen digital & recording space
- Meeting rooms for community groups and organizations
- Outdoor courtyard/terrace for reading and events
- Public computers, wireless printing, scanning & free Wi-Fi
- Exterior book return for after-hours drop-off
- Access to full CLP system shared catalog — one card borrows at all 18 branches
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and early-literacy programs
- Teen programs and The Labs open lab sessions
- Adult learning and digital skills workshops
- Tutor.com online tutoring (free for CLP cardholders)
- Community events and author talks
📍 Nearby Libraries in Pittsburgh (Allegheny County)
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Pittsburgh · Browse all Pennsylvania libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Allegheny City history archive, and who is it for?
The archive holds more than 1,500 items — photographs, maps, documents and printed materials — chronicling the history of Allegheny City, the independent municipality that occupied Pittsburgh's North Side until it was annexed by the City of Pittsburgh in 1907. It is open to the public and especially useful for local historians, genealogists tracing North Side families, and anyone curious about the neighborhood's origins as a separate city. Staff can assist with research inquiries.
What happened to the original 1890 Carnegie library building on the North Side?
The original Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny — designed by the architects of the Library of Congress and built in Maine granite — was the first Carnegie library commissioned in the United States when it opened in 1890. A lightning strike in 2006 forced the library to close that building; the current branch at 1230 Federal Street opened in 2009. The historic 1890 structure became the New Hazlett Theater and later, in 2019, the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh's Museum Lab makerspace, so the building remains in active community use today.
What is The Labs, and is it open to all ages?
The Labs is Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's teen-centered digital creative space, with resources for media production and learning. It is part of the CLP system-wide initiative to give teens hands-on access to digital tools. While primarily designed for teens, the branch's general computer area and digital resources serve all ages. Check the branch events calendar at carnegielibrary.org for open-lab session times.
Is the Allegheny Regional Branch open on Sundays?
No — the branch is closed on Sundays. It is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exterior book return is available 24/7 for after-hours drop-offs. For holiday closures, check carnegielibrary.org or call (412) 237-1890.
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