Main Library (Oakland)
🏢 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Main Library (Oakland)
Andrew Carnegie's gift to Pittsburgh opened on Forbes Avenue in 1895 and has never stopped growing — today the Main Library is one of four Pennsylvania Statewide Resource Centers, holding over 100,000 photographic images of the city's history and serving Allegheny County from a landmark Romanesque-Revival building shared with two world-class museums.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9:30am–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9:30am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30am–8pm |
| Thursday | 9:30am–8pm |
| Friday | 9:30am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9:30am–5pm |
| Sunday | 9:30am–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: (412) 622-3114
Website: carnegielibrary.org
Plus Code: 87G2C2VX+4Q (Pittsburgh, PA)
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Main Library (Oakland)
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Main branch in Oakland is the flagship of a 19-location system that Carnegie himself endowed with a $1 million gift in 1890 — one of the largest library philanthropies of the 19th century. The 1895 building was designed by the firm Longfellow, Alden & Harlow in a Romanesque Revival style, and its interior is punctuated by ornate marble floors, handcrafted ironwork light fixtures, and late-19th-century glass floor panels aligned with windows to maximize natural light before electricity was common. The library sits within the Carnegie Institute complex alongside the Carnegie Museum of Art and Carnegie Museum of Natural History — you can reach all three without stepping outside — and "Dippy" the Diplodocus replica, excavated in Wyoming in 1899, greets visitors on the plaza. Designated by Pennsylvania as a Statewide Resource Center, the Main Library acquires in-depth research collections available to every resident of the Commonwealth through interlibrary loan. Its third-floor Family & Local History Department houses the Pittsburgh Photographic Library — more than 100,000 negatives and prints tracing the city from its industrial origins through its renaissance — alongside genealogy microfilm, historic clipping files, and steel-industry worker records that can connect researchers to ancestors who worked in Pittsburgh's mills.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Pennsylvania Statewide Resource Center — one of only four in the state, with deep research collections available to all PA residents via interlibrary loan
- Pittsburgh Photographic Library: 100,000+ historic negatives and prints, plus genealogy microfilm and steel-industry worker records, on the third floor
- Rare book collection including a 1787 Thomas Jefferson-signed document; also home to the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society library
- On-site café with outdoor seating, soundproof media pods for film screening, and a Library of Things lending collection
- Open extended hours Monday through Thursday until 8 pm, with weekend service all three days (Friday–Sunday 9:30 am–5 pm)
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh cardholders can borrow, stream and research free through these digital collections:
📚 Services
- Family & Local History Department with Pittsburgh Photographic Library (100,000+ images), genealogy microfilm and steel-industry records
- Job & Career Education Center (2nd floor) with resume help and career counseling from JFCS professionals
- Rare book and special collections reading room
- Soundproof media pods for private film and audio listening
- Library of Things lending (tools, games, equipment)
- On-site café with outdoor plaza seating
- Meeting and study room reservations
- Interlibrary loan to and from libraries statewide and nationwide
- Public computers, printing, scanning and free Wi-Fi
🎸 Programs
- Genealogy Day and Family History workshops (annual + ongoing)
- Author talks and literary events in the lecture hall
- Job and career workshops (resume, interview prep, Google Career Certificates)
- Children's storytimes and early literacy programs
- Teen programs and after-school activities
- Year-round cultural and community events across all ages
📍 Nearby Libraries in 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 Pittsburgh Photographic Library, and how can I access it?
The Pittsburgh Photographic Library is a collection of more than 100,000 historic photographic negatives and prints documenting Pittsburgh from its industrial origins through its 20th-century renaissance. It lives on the third floor of the Main Library in the Family & Local History Department, alongside genealogy microfilm, city directories, newspaper clipping files, and original steel-mill worker records. Staff are available to help researchers, and you can contact the department at 412-622-3154 or padept@carnegielibrary.org.
What is the Pennsylvania Statewide Resource Center, and what does it mean for borrowers?
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is one of only four libraries designated by Pennsylvania as a Statewide Resource Center — alongside the Free Library of Philadelphia, the State Library of Pennsylvania, and Penn State University Libraries. The program, established in 1961, requires CLP's Main branch to build and maintain in-depth research collections across many subject areas and make them available to any Pennsylvania resident through interlibrary loan. In practice, it means that if your local library doesn't own something, they can request it from CLP on your behalf.
Are there extended hours at the Main Library during the week?
Yes — the Main Library is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 am to 8 pm, so there are four evenings a week when you can visit after work or school. Friday, Saturday and Sunday all run 9:30 am to 5 pm, making the Main branch open all seven days of the week. Hours may be reduced on some holidays; check carnegielibrary.org or call 412-622-3114 before a holiday visit.
Can I visit the Carnegie Museum of Art or Natural History on the same trip?
Yes — the Main Library shares the Carnegie Institute complex at 4400 Forbes Avenue with the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, all connected under one roof. The museums have separate admission and their own hours, but the building layout lets you move between library and museum spaces without going outdoors. "Dippy" the Diplodocus — a full-scale replica of one of the most complete dinosaur skeletons ever found, excavated in Wyoming in 1899 — stands on the plaza between the library entrance and the museums.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
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