The Montrose Library is situated in an A-listed Carnegie funded building in the north

Angus Angus may refer to: Media * ''Angus'' (film), a 1995 film * ''Angus Og'' (comics), in the ''Daily Record'' Places Australia * Angus, New South Wales Canada * Angus, Ontario, a community in Essa, Ontario * East Angus, Quebec Scotland * An ...

coastal town of Montrose. It was first opened in 1905 and in 2018 received a £1 million refurbishment to provide it with "flexible, community focused spaces".

History

In 1901, Scottish philanthropist Dr

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...

, responded to a request for funding to provide a public library in Montrose. “I should be very glad indeed to comply with your suggestion and consider it a privilege. If Montrose will adopt the Free Libraries Act and provide a suitable site, I shall be glad to provide money for the building”- Andrew Carnegie. The architect commissioned was J Lindsay Grant of Manchester. The total cost of the building was £7,500 with further contributions from the town of Montrose of £1000, from Mr and Mrs W. Douglas Johnson of £500 and from “Montrosians at home and abroad” of £1000. Contributions for funding the book collection were requested from present and former Montrosians and local children’s families to stock the juvenile section. The library was opened in 1905 by

John Morley John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn, (24 December 1838 – 23 September 1923) was a British Liberal statesman, writer and newspaper editor. Initially, a journalist in the North of England and then editor of the newly Liberal-leani ...

MP. Montrose Library was the first ‘open-access’ library in Scotland.

Collections, services and outreach

Montrose Library is run by Angus Alive, a charitable trust running culture, sport and leisure in partnership with Angus Council.

Refurbishment

The library was officially reopened on 5 September 2018 by Scottish author Stuart McBride, after a £1 million refurbishment.

Gallery

File:Montrose Library, Montrose - Public Library carved sign.JPG, alt=Public Library Sign on the outside of the building File:Montrose Library, Montrose stained glass window.JPG, alt=Stained Glass Window File:Montrose Library.JPG, alt=Outside of the building File:The Whisper by William Lamb sculpture, Montrose.JPG, alt="The Whisper" by William Lamb sculpture outside the library File:Statues at the Library - geograph.org.uk - 1310726.jpg, alt=Statues in the library File:Plaque at The Carnegie Library - geograph.org.uk - 1310729.jpg, alt=Plaque to commemorate the opening of the library

References

{{Coord, 56.70983, -2.46911, format=dms, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Library buildings completed in 1905 Listed library buildings in Scotland Carnegie libraries in Scotland Category A listed buildings in Angus, Scotland Montrose, Angus 1905 establishments in Scotland