One way that I think Carnegie influenced America is with the donations he made to libraries and the public libraries he founded. He donated over $50 million to form over 2,800 public libraries. These libraries have helped shape even me as I have grown up. I cannot imagine my summers when I was younger without going to the library to borrow new books or taking part in their fun events like turtle races and summer reading programs. Many young children get their creativity from books and even some of the background knowledge that they will use later on in school. It is also a great place for students in college to go and study or check out books that they might need for a course. Overall, books are a huge part of our education and our creativity. Carnegie’s views on the need for knowledge were evident when he opened the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in 1895 saying, “It is the mind that makes the body rich. There is no class so pitiably wretched as that which possesses money and nothing else.”"Andrew Carnegie." Biography Resource Center. Gale, 2010. Web. 25 Feb. 2010.
I enjoyed reading your influences but, of course, especially your quote about those who are rich but do not own books. Terrific!
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