Manti Carnegie Library

Built in 1910-11, the Manti Carnegie Library is one of 23 Carnegie Libraries in Utah and one of over 1650 library buildings in the United States that were built by millionaire/philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie donated the entire cost of the building on the condition that the town provide the land, books, librarian, and an annual maintenance budget. Although many small towns found it financially difficult to maintain their new libraries much less improve their library services, Carnegie libraries were generally beneficial in the communities in which they were built. In addition to providing improved and expanded library services, Carnegie libraries established standards of library operation and building design which were used for many years in construction of new libraries in other communities. The Manti Carnegie Library was designed by Watkins and Birch, a Provo, Utah based architectural firm, who actively pursued Carnegie Library contracts throughout the state and were responsible for designing several other library buildings besides this one. The construction contract was given to Frederickson and Son, a local construction firm. The old Council House was demolished to make way for this library.