Endowed Funds

The Hess Abraham Family Fund was established in 2018 by Carolyn Hess Abraham and provides broad support to the Library’s operations, facilities, services and resources. Carolyn Hess Abraham is a Life Trustee on Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Board of Trustees.

Established in 2021, the Katherine and Russell Ayres Early Learning Fund helps ensure that informative and inspiring library services are accessible to children now, and for future generations. Russell Ayres served on the Library’s Board of Trustees from 2015 – 2021.

From earliest childhood, I found myself fascinated by books and stories, and this fascination aided me in the sometimes difficult process of learning to read. Once I mastered that task, however, I was seldom without a book in hand. My elementary school classrooms usually had a library shelf which I devoured from one end to the other during the fall. Then what? The public library offered so many more shelves, so many more books that I became a frequent visitor. This early experience with literacy and libraries led me to a lifelong career as a teacher and then later as a writer. Whether reader or writer, I love to immerse myself in story, in other lives, other settings, other times. For a lover of books, the world is an enormous place, and worthy of discovery. For this reason we wish to support future generations of children in their lifelong literary adventures. — Katherine Ayres, 2021

The Edward C. Bald, Jr. Fund was founded in 1954 through a bequest from Edward Bald, Jr.’s estate. He gave Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh our first phonograph recordings and was interested in all aspects of the Music Department’s work. The Library’s Director at the time designated this fund to purchase books, scores, recordings, other music materials or “reproducing apparatus.”

Adeline Macrum Bank was a librarian as well as a lifelong patron. Her husband, Mr. Killian Bank, left a bequest to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in her memory, which was used to establish this fund in 1963. The Adeline Macrum Bank Memorial Fund supports Library collections.

The Barati Family Fund was created in 2023 and provides flexible support to the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP) in Pittsburgh.

The Barati family gave this endowed fund for LAMP to enable the continuation of the services it now provides for its patrons well into the future and to expand on these services if desired. Diane Barati was born legally blind and used LAMP for most of her life. She became a LAMP volunteer in 2006 and gave over 8,500 hours of service. Her primary job was the “editing” of books that were narrated by other LAMP volunteers. Her parents, William and Margaret Barati, both suffered from ARMD. William, in particular, depended on Talking Books as his primary source of entertainment. They kept his mind alive as his vision and physical capabilities diminished. Using Talking Books has been an overwhelmingly important part of all of their lives. They want to ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to benefit from LAMP services! – Diane Barati, 2023

This fund was established by Dr. Robert J. Baseman in memory of his father Maurice S. Baseman in 1993. Income from this fund helps to purchase materials for the Library’s music collection.

Julius D. Bernd was the first donor to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. This fund was established in 1895, the year CLP – Main opened to the public. Julius Bernd, a German-born merchant, was an avid reader and maintained a large personal library. After his death in 1892, the soon-to-be-built Carnegie Library received a bequest from Mr. Bernd’s estate, which the Library’s Board of Trustees formally accepted on January 9, 1895. According to the Board action, income from the fund is used to enhance the Library’s reference collection of books on architecture and allied arts. To this day, the J.D. Bernd Fund purchases books in the Library’s non-fiction collection.

The Bruce and Marian Block Fund, created in 2019 by Bruce and Marian Block, helps ensure library resources and services are accessible to current and future generations by providing broad support to Library operations, facilities, services and resources.

The Betsy and Marc Brown Fund, created in 2019 by Betsy and Marc Brown, helps ensure library resources and services are accessible to current and future generations by providing broad support to Library operations, facilities, services and resources. Marc has served on the Library’s Board of Trustees since 2017.

Established in 2016, the Bernita Buncher Fund for Children and Teens celebrates Bernita Buncher’s commitment to literacy and learning, as well as the Buncher family’s generous support of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. This fund provides flexible support for services that help children and teens grow into confident readers, discover new dreams and interests, and realize their fullest potential.

The Buy the Book Pearle Vision Fund was established in 1992 to purchase children’s books. With each pair of Transitions Lenses sold at Pearle Vision, a donation was made to the Library under the “Buy a Book” Program. Income from this fund supports collections for children.

Ella M. Carnahan established the Carrie J. Carnahan Memorial Fund in 1942 in memory of her sister. Income from this fund supports Library collections in particular materials about religion.

In 1960, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees created an income reserve and invested the funds as an endowment. Income is used for the Library’s general operating expenses, and all donations to the general “endowment” are put in this fund. In 2015, the communicative name of the fund was changed from the technical “Carnegie Library Income Reserve” to “Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh General Endowment.” As of 2022, it is recognized as the “Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Fund.”

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Maintenance Fund was created in 2018. This fund supports the maintenance of library buildings and facilities, helping to ensure that the Library’s spaces are welcoming and accessible for all visitors. The donor has chosen to remain anonymous.

Robert B. Croneberger was the Director of the Library from 1986 -1998. The Robert B. Croneberger Fund was established in his memory by the Friends of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in 1998. Bob Croneberger’s legacy is marked by the creation of the Electronic Information Network (EiN), which linked libraries throughout Allegheny County, and his work to secure funding for libraries through the Regional Asset District (RAD). Bob led numerous efforts to expand Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s impact throughout the community, and he was an outspoken advocate for public information and intellectual freedom on the national stage. Income from this fund purchases books and materials related to the Humanities.

In 2022, Lynn Cullen established the Lynn Cullen Fund to provide flexible support for library services to Homewood and surrounding communities. These communities are currently served by the historic CLP – Homewood branch on Hamilton Avenue.

Established in 2019, the Danny’s Irish Eyes Fund supports the services and resources of the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP). LAMP provides library services and resources to people with temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, or a physical disability that prevents them from accessing standard print.

The tale of Danny’s Irish Eyes Fund begins and ends as a love story between two students at Westinghouse Memorial High School in Wilmerding, PA. It was there in 1965 that Gene Reiness (younger son of Meyer and Esther Reiness of North Versailles, PA) met his fellow classmate Diane Woodcock (only child of Jim and Lois Woodcock of Wilmerding) in their senior year, and the tenuous seeds of a relationship began to grow. Though smitten, Gene was too shy and immature to ask Diane for a date, despite her best efforts to get his attention, like knocking his books to the floor when she passed his desk, and writing “Why don’t you give the more delicate sex a chance?” in his yearbook. It was slow going, for sure.

Graduation in 1966 seemed certain to end their story before it began, as college loomed for both: Gene to Syracuse University in New York, and Diane to Indiana University of PA. They saw each other at the local swimming pool over the summer (Blue Dell in North Huntingdon, if you’re from this area), but as September approached, it seemed all would be lost. Finally, in a sweaty-palmed, heart-palpitating moment of determination, Gene called Diane to tell her that he would be leaving for school in a few days, and, emboldened by her animated response to his call, he asked her if she would like to go out for a milkshake. Lord Almighty, she said “yes!” And so, just four days before heading to Syracuse, Gene picked Diane up and took her to the Burger Chef in White Oak, PA, where they sat and talked one-on-one for a magical evening and watered their budding friendship with milkshakes–his chocolate, hers vanilla. She finished hers without making a single slurping sound. It was unbelievable.

After they parted for college, it took some time for things to really get underway, but Gene was blessed with a knack for writing, a quirky sense of humor, and lots of time, so the letters to Diane came often and long. She reciprocated in kind. Dates during visits home for the holidays soon created an air of exclusivity in their relationship as her former high school suitors moved on. Presents at their first Christmas and roses sent to Diane’s dormitory room the following Valentine’s Day pretty much sealed the deal. Gene was learning about creating a relationship with a girl.

College life continued over the next several years, and so did the letters and dates during home visits as their love grew. It should be mentioned that Diane did send a “Dear John” letter in February 1969 in a vain effort to pull away, but Gene would have none of it. When he next returned home for semester break, he asked her out to a movie, and she agreed. It was “Romeo and Juliet” with Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, which she later in their marriage recalled was the longest, most uncomfortable movie of her life. It didn’t matter—she relented, and the love affair resumed. Finally, with his schooling nearing its end, Gene proposed to Diane on December 23, 1971, and so began their formal engagement. Nine months to the day later, on September 23, 1972, they were wed at St. Aloysius Church in Wilmerding, and began their married life.

Things got off to a bit of a rocky start when Diane lost her management training job at Penney’s the following summer, which necessitated a sudden move from Pleasant Hills, PA to a lower-rent apartment in North Huntingdon, not far from where Diane’s parents had recently moved. Fate sometimes has a way, it seems. In the summer of 1975, Diane, now working at Giant Eagle, began to notice “floaters” in her vision. An insulin-dependent diabetic since age 8, she thought perhaps she should consult an ophthalmologist, and so she and Gene found themselves at the office of such a doctor for her to be examined. Soon, the doctor, the father of high school friends, stepped from the exam room and approached Gene somberly. “Gene,” he began, “the

blood vessels in Diane’s eyes are filled with aneurysms ready to burst. She’s going to lose her vision, and there’s nothing I can do.” Thus began several years of searching for miracles, of anguished tears, of adaptation to encroaching limitations, and finally, of coming to grips with the reality of what had been foretold: Diane was blind.

Fortunately, her parents were nearby to help with the routine matters of life—shopping, doctor visits, etc.—while Gene continued to work and advance his career. Into the mix came support services from the state Blind and Vision Services organization, which offered Diane tips on how to function more independently in the home without sight. Also offered was information about a service available through the Carnegie Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH)—Talking Books. As a lifelong reader, Diane was attracted to the service, and began receiving books and magazines from LBPH (now LAMP), first on floppy discs to play on a large record player, then by audio cassettes, and ultimately on digital cassette. It would not be a great exaggeration to say that the ability to re-engage with the world through Talking Books saved Diane’s life, or at minimum rescued her from the despair and isolation that accompanied her loss of vision at age 28. Particularly with the introduction of the audio cassette format, the sound of Talking Books could be heard traversing her and Gene’s house as she moved about carrying the player along while she dusted, cooked, dressed, groomed her beloved dogs, ironed (yes, she ironed!), worked on a craft project, or whatever task she was engaged in. At bedtime, she frequently fell asleep listening to a book with headphones on, and waking in the morning, she would carry the player into the bathroom with her as she began her day. She often remarked to Gene that if by some miracle she regained her sight, she wouldn’t want to give up the convenience of listening to Talking Books while engaged in her daily routines.

The ravages of diabetes did not stop with Diane’s eyes, and at age 47, she underwent quadruple bypass surgery. The cassette player accompanied her during her nearly three weeks of hospitalization, and during subsequent catheterization procedures. But it also traveled with her throughout the world as she and Gene traveled extensively to other lands, flying and cruising to exotic locales. In the 40th year of their marriage, a fall at home caused a fractured vertebra that gradually left Diane unable to walk. Major back surgery in the fall of 2012 in an attempt to address the issue led to complications that ultimately ended her marriage to Gene on January 2, 2013. The love story, however, continues on even as this is written. Predictably, only hours before the cardiac event that claimed her life, Diane was listening to her cassette player.

Several months after her passing, Gene visited the Library for the Blind to talk to the personnel who had served Diane so well for so many years, and to discuss the possibility of creating a memorial to her there. An examination of her account revealed that she had checked out approximately 3600 items from the Library in the 30+ years of using the Talking Book service. Initially, a small fund was created from which LBPH could draw monies to support its mission. Fortuitously, a matching gift option from the CLP Board of Trustees opened the possibility for creating a permanent endowed fund in Diane’s memory and honor—Danny’s Irish Eyes Fund. The significance of that name is twofold. First, “Danny” was Diane’s father’s nickname for her, and it eventually became a name by which she was known to several very close friends. Being Irish on her mother’s side (the O’Briens), Diane was a proud and cheerful Irish lass who loved the music and culture of that nation. “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” was a favorite of hers, and, despite the many misfortunes that befell her during life, hers always were. Her greatest gift was to brighten the days of friends and strangers alike with her uplifting smile, good cheer, and manifest sweetness of being. A decade after her loss, friends from all walks of life still mourn her passing, and marvel at her courage and spirit. The creation of Danny’s Irish Eyes Fund is a gift to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for its unfailing service to Diane, and its contribution to the quality of her life that in turn so favorably impacted others. And in case it’s not obvious, Gene is your humble author whose crystalline memories of his life with Diane informed the foregoing memoir. –Gene Reiness, 2023

In 2022, Memory “Mimi” S. Derthick established the Derthick Family Fund, which provides broad support to Library operations, facilities, services and resources. The Derthick Family Fund provides lasting recognition of Mimi, her late husband Mark, and the Derthick family’s commitment to literacy and learning.

Arleen Dubbs Lipsman established the Bernard Dubbs Family Fund in 2000 in memory of her father, Bernard Dubbs. Inspired by her role as a librarian and manager of the business collection at CLP – Downtown, this fund helps purchase materials related to workforce and economic development.

Established in 2020, the Herb Elish and Eloise Hirsh Fund provides flexible support to the Library’s services for children. Herb Elish served as the Library’s President and Director from 1998 – 2004. With a background in business, Mr. Elish brought a bold, new vision to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He helped identify private and public funding and supported modernization of CLP -Main and numerous branches throughout the city.

In 2021, members of the Farmerie Family established the Farmerie Family Fund. This fund supports services to children with a preference for STEM resources and programming that will inform and inspire the scientists of tomorrow.

Dr. Donald R. Fischer and the Honorable Nora Barry Fischer established the Donald R. and Nora Barry Fischer Fund in 2019. This fund helps ensure library resources and services are accessible to current and future generations by providing broad support to operations, facilities, services and resources. Don Fischer served on the Library’s Board of Trustees from 2009 – 2014.

The Zillah and Justin Fleischmann Fund was created in 2023. James Fleischmann, a lifelong Library user and advocate, created this fund in memory of his parents. This fund provides broad support to operations, facilities, services, and resources.

Zillah Saul and Justin Fleischmann were both immigrants. Zillah was English and left the UK in the 1930s in the hope of finding better opportunities in the US. Justin fled Nazi Germany in 1938 simply to survive.

They both had family in or near Pittsburgh, so settled here. They met in the early 1940s, married, started a small business, had a child and both lived happily into their nineties.

They made a new life in Pittsburgh and were thankful for its many benefits – the multitude of public and private amenities the City offered such as its excellent public schools, its universities, its many cultural offerings, and especially the Carnegie Library.

It is a privilege to create this small endowment in their honor to assist the Library which meant so much to them. –Jim Fleischmann, 2023

The Dorothy and Lloyd Fuge Fund was established in 2002 by Dorothy and Lloyd Fuge and supports the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP) in Pittsburgh. Lloyd Fuge practiced law and served as the mayor of Clairton from 1973 -1977. Dorothy was an accomplished musician. They were both lifelong readers and longtime patrons of LAMP. Their support ensures everyone in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania can enjoy reading regardless of sight or other abilities which make standard print books inaccessible.

The Akers Gerber Family Fund was established in 2021 and helps to sustain the Library’s general operations, including funding for personnel, collections, information services, and other essential needs of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh that engage our community in literacy and learning. Cindy Gerber served on the Library’s Board of Trustees from 2015 – 2021. Driven to help secure Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s long-term sustainability, Cindy was a champion of the “POTENTIAL: CLP – Board of Trustees Endowment Match” initiative, which encouraged new strategies for sustainable funding and spurred marked growth of the Library’s endowment.

Following the death of Jacqueline “Jac” Reid Gerjuoy, Dr. Edward Gerjuoy established this fund in her memory in 2019. This fund helps to purchase materials in the Library’s non-fiction collections.

Anna Randolph Darlington Gillespie and Mabel Lindsay Gillespie established the Anna and Mabel Gillespie Fund in memory of husband and father, David Lindsay Gillespie. This fund helped maintain the David Lindsay Gillespie Reading Room at CLP – Main (1938-2004), which housed approximately 4,000 popular titles primarily in the Humanities. Today, income from this fund supports the Library’s collections and permanently recognizes the Gillespies’ commitment to the people of our region.

The Mabel Lindsay Gillespie Fund was established in 1944 to create and maintain the Anna Randolph Darlington Gillespie Public Affairs Room. The room opened at CLP – Main in 1945. Mabel Lindsay Gillespie—a lifelong advocate for literacy and intellectual freedom—created this fund to help maintain the spaces named in honor of her parents Anna and David. While the Gillespie Rooms are no longer specifically named spaces in CLP – Main due to architectural updates, income from this fund supports the Library’s collections and permanently recognizes the Gillespie family’s commitment to the people of our region.

Richard Goldman established the Mary Alice Gorman Fund in 2019 in memory of his wife, Mary Alice Gorman. Mary Alice served on the Library’s Board of Trustees from 2011 to 2018. She was a passionate advocate for literacy and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. This fund provides broad support to Library operations, facilities, services, and resources.

The Dr. Maurice R. Greene Fund was established in 2019 by Jacqueline Weissman Wechsler in memory of her father, Dr. Maurice R. Greene, fondly known as “Doc” by his friends, family and patients in the Squirrel Hill community. This fund provides broad support to operations, facilities, services, and resources, and permanently recognizes Doc Greene, who “always loved the Library.”

Patricia M. Gussey included a gift to the Library’s endowment in her estate plan and was one of the founding members of the Library’s legacy circle, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Circle. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh honored her memory with the Patricia M. Gussey Fund in 2019 with her realized bequest. This fund provides broad support to Library operations, facilities, services, and resources.

The Martha Harris Fund was established in 2020 by Saïd Sayrafiezadeh in memory of his mother. This fund provides broad support to operations, facilities, services, and resources.

Martha Harris (born Martha Finkelstein, 1933) was an avid diarist, aspiring novelist, city cyclist, street photographer, and a longtime member of the Socialist Workers Party of America. She grew up in Mt. Vernon, New York, the youngest of three children, and shortly after graduating from high school, she and her mother moved to Minnesota to live with her oldest brother, author Mark Harris, best known for his novel Bang the Drum Slowly. She majored in English Literature at the University of Minnesota, where she met Mahmoud Sayrafiezadeh, an Iranian national who was working towards his doctorate in mathematics. They married in 1959, had three children—Jacob, Jamileh, and Saïd—and lived together in Brooklyn, New York, until separating in 1969. In 1975, Martha and her youngest son Saïd relocated to Pittsburgh, where her brother Mark was now a professor of creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh. She lived in Pittsburgh for the next thirty-eight years in various neighborhoods around the city, including South Oakland, Highland Park, Wilkinsburg, and Shadyside. She had only one job in Pittsburgh, working for thirty years at Carnegie-Mellon University as a secretary to the dean of the College of Fine Arts, she remained a committed member of the Pittsburgh branch of the Socialist Workers Party until resigning in 1984. She died in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2020 from complications relating to dementia.

Of all the institutions in Pittsburgh, both public and private, the Carnegie Library was the one which figured most prominently in my mother’s and my life. Our early years together in the city were difficult—a single mother working as a secretary—but the library was a constant force of benevolence, stability, and of course, literature. We frequented the main branch most often, with its glorious architecture, its enormous children’s reading room, its adjacent museum, but the proximity of the library in East Liberty was equally important to us, especially when we were living in Highland Park and Shadyside. My mother owned few books—my uncle’s, of course, being an exception—but we were never without, borrowing everything we could, from Dr. Seuss to James Baldwin to cassette tapes of Jack Benny radio shows. One of the most enduring memories from my childhood is of my mother sitting on her bed in the morning, reading a few pages of a library book before leaving for work—on her bicycle. It was at the public library where, when I was about ten years old, I got lucky and won a portable radio as part of a reading competition; where I was once able to witness firsthand the depth of knowledge of a librarian, who, when I asked for help finding To Kill a Mockingbird, somehow knew the author’s name by heart; where, sitting in the second floor of the main branch, my mother introduced me to the Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature for a report I was writing for my social studies class at Reizenstein Middle School; where my mother related the story to me that a homeless man had asked if he could enter the library, and the librarian had replied, “This building is for everyone”; where, after my mother retired from CMU, she volunteered for many years reading to the visually impaired; where I would sometimes stroll through the stacks, just to gaze at the spines of my uncle’s novels, and where, years later, I would find my own books on the shelf.

Not long ago, while clearing out my mother’s belongings from her apartment on Centre Avenue, I happened to find two overdue library books. Knowing full well that she would have wanted these to be returned, I walked them over to the main branch, that same walk that my mother and I would have taken together many times over the years. I don’t remember how many weeks or months the books were overdue, but I remember that the librarian had accepted them without question and without a fine.

To read more about my mother, you can find her featured prominently in my memoir, When Skateboards Will Be Free. To read about her life in her own words, her multi-volume journal, spanning nearly seventy years, is in the special collections at the University of Delaware Library. —Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, January 4, 2021

The Eliza Davitt Hartley Fund was established in 1957 with a gift through Eliza Hartley’s estate. This fund supports the Library’s collections.

Created in 2015, the Heritage Fund supports the protection, restoration, and conservation of our region’s cultural heritage, which includes Library collections, artifacts, and physical spaces. Multiple supporters made the initial contributions to the principal of the fund.

In 2019, Mary Jane Kuffner Hirt created the Mary Jane Kuffner Hirt Fund to help support Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s stewardship of Pennsylvania history. This fund provides broad support to operations and services related to local, regional, and family history collections.

Mary Jane is a lifelong resident of western Pennsylvania. She grew up in Glassport and graduated from South Allegheny High School in 1969. She is the daughter of Alan E. and Mary E. Jeffries Kuffner, sister of Alan E. (Jr.), Nancy J. and Lynn A. Kuffner and granddaughter of Floyd and Clevie Lackey Jeffries and John and Louise Miksch Kuffner. She holds a B.A. in Government and Public Service from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (’73), a Master’s (’75) and PhD (’86) in Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. She currently lives in Harmar, a suburb about 10 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Over a 45+ year professional career, Mary Jane worked in both public service and academia. Her first jobs were to facilitate municipal intergovernmental relations with the Mon-Yough Justice Services Center (now Twin Rivers Council of Governments), the Steel Valley Council of Governments and the Allegheny County Departments of Planning and Economic Development. In 1980, when appointed the borough manager in Forest Hills, PA, she became the first professionally educated woman in Pennsylvania to become a city manager. She also served as the township manager in O’Hara Township, PA. In 1986, she became the first woman to be elected president of the Association for Pennsylvania Municipal Management.

From 1992–2015, Dr. Hirt was a full-time faculty member of the Department of Political Science at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in state and local government, public administration, ethics, leadership and research methods. She was the first woman in the Political Science Department to be promoted to Full Professor and in 2016 was awarded emeritus status by the university. She was also part of the Southwestern PA Commission’s local government consulting group. And, more recently, she has worked for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development and their financially distressed municipalities program.

Dr. Hirt’s participation in the CLP – Board of Trustees’ Endowment Match Program is rooted in her experience over the past 14 years with the Pennsylvania Department located at CLP – Main in Oakland. The Department’s staff and holdings have been a beneficial and appreciated resource for family history research and writing projects related to her colonial era Leech and Lackey ancestors (Familia, 2018) as well as her local history book about the December 24, 1917 Knoxville Trolley accident that killed her Grandpa’s cousin, Aurelia Kuffner Czerny. Sustaining long-term access and availability of such resources to serve current and future family historians and local history research encourages her contribution to CLP. –Mary Jane Kuffner Hirt, 2019

The Karen B. Hoesch and Kenneth J. Jaros Fund was established in 2023. This fund recognizes Karen and Kenneth’s commitment to literacy and learning and provides broad support to Library operations, facilities, services and resources.

The Carolyn O. Holl Memorial Fund was established in 1987 with a gift from Carolyn’s estate. This fund provides broad support to the Library’s operations, facilities, services and resources.

The Lami Grubb Family Fund was established in 2022 by Suzan Lami and Robert Grubb. This fund provides broad support to Library operations, facilities, services and resources.

The John H. Leete Memorial Fund was established in March of 1930 with a gift from John Leete’s estate. This fund supports the Library’s collections, in particular books about mathematics.

The Judge Benjamin Lencher Fund was created in 1978 with a gift from Lencher’s wife, Jennie R. Lencher, and nephew, Bernard Latterman, in memory of Judge Benjamin Lencher. Jennie also gifted books and treasured items related to Abraham Lincoln, known as “Lincolniana,” to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. This fund supports Library collections.

The David H. Light Memorial Fund was established in 1944 upon the death of David’s brother, Herman B. Light. Originally, this fund helped to purchase phonograph records for our “Record Library.” Today, income from this fund helps to purchase music in current formats.

The establishment of the Frank J. Lucchino KIDS (Kids’ Initiative for Dynamic Success) Fund at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh was announced in 2014 to support innovative programming and outreach for children in the communities served by CLP – Hazelwood. In addition, this fund honors the Honorable Frank Lucchino’s tenure as a Life Trustee of the Library and his enduring advocacy of literacy for all. Frank served as the first Chair of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Board of Trustees in 2006 and continues to support the Library’s mission as an Emeritus Trustee. Income from this fund supports innovative ideas and pilot projects that help prepare our most vulnerable young children for school and life success, including reaching children and families who are not currently library users.

In 2023, James “Jim” E. Lutton, Jr. created the J. Earl and Marie A. Lutton Fund to recognize his parents and to provide broad support to Library operations, facilities, services and resources.

The Anastasia Makarska Family Fund was created in 2023. This fund provides broad support to Library operations, facilities, services, and resources and recognizes Anastasia’s commitment to literacy and learning.

The George and Rosalina Marcelin Fund was created in 2022. This fund provides broad support to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s operations, facilities, services, and resources and recognizes the Marcelins’ commitment to literacy and learning.

The Yetta A. McCullough Fund was established in 1999 with a gift from Yetta’s estate. This fund provides broad support to the operations, facility, services and resources of the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP) in Pittsburgh.

The Marie McSwigan Fund (formerly known as Marie McSwigan Book Fund) was established in 1962 with a gift from Marie’s estate. Marie was a local journalist and author, best known for her work on “Skyhooks,” an autobiography of artist John Kane, and her books for children. Marie’s family has continued to support the mission of the Library and services for young people through generous gifts to the fund. The Marie McSwigan Fund helps to purchase materials for children’s collections at CLP – Main.

(formerly A.W. Mellon Education and Charitable Trust Fund) The A.W. Mellon International Collection of Contemporary Poetry Fund was created in 1980. This fund supports Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s collections, particularly poetry.

The Annie M. Mellor Fund was created in 1909 after the death of her brother Charles C. Mellor, who left funds to create four separate endowed funds at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. This fund helps to purchase materials related to the study of history.

The Charles C. Mellor Fund was created in 1909 after his death with a gift through his estate. This fund purchases materials related to Women’s Studies.

The Laura Reinhart Mellor Fund was created in 1909 after the death of her husband, Charles C. Mellor, who left funds to create four separate endowed funds at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. This fund helps to purchase biographies for the Library’s non-fiction collections.

The Louisa P. Mellor Fund was created in 1909 after the death of Louisa Mellor’s brother, Charles C. Mellor, who left funds to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to create four separate endowed funds. Income from this fund is used to purchase materials for the children’s collection at CLP – Main.

Created in 2021, the Mark and Jane Mendlow Family Fund provides broad support to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s operations, facilities, services, and resources.

The Mertz Family Fund was established in 2018 by Elizabeth R. Mertz and her children. The fund provides broad support to operations, facilities, services, and resources and lasting recognition of the Mertz’ family’s commitment to literacy and learning.

Barbara Miller and Jackie Wechsler established the Barbara Miller and Jackie Wechsler Fund for Children’s Books Fund in 1997 in honor of their joint birthday. This fund supports Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s children’s collections.

The Dr. Soumyo D. Moitra Fund was established in 2024 to provide flexible support in perpetuity for library operations and services that promote literacy and learning for people of all ages and backgrounds throughout Pittsburgh.

The Joy and Arthur Moss Fund, created in 2023 by Deborah Moss and Keith Somers, helps ensure library resources and services are accessible to current and future generations by providing broad support to Library operations, facilities, services and resources.

Deborah Moss and Keith Somers established the Joy and Arthur Moss Fund to honor Deb’s parents’ commitment to lifelong learning and their contribution to family and community. Joy spent her professional years as an elementary school librarian and an adjunct professor teaching graduate students novel methodological approaches to teaching children’s literature. The books she selected to share and to study–a diverse collection of beautiful, high-quality works of literature–dealt with topics such as friendship, perseverance, bullying, overcoming injustice, and many other themes that she so effectively taught about over the years. Arthur, a renowned cardiologist, was a brilliant researcher and master clinician – making diagnoses that others failed to see. A man of rare and enduring integrity, he was driven by curiosity and a commitment to scientific advancement. In fact, he started each day in the medical library, perusing the latest journal articles and headlines! Their lives were joined in love and purpose, to make a difference. Libraries were a foundational part of their lives, nourishing their inquiring minds as they nourished and inspired others. Deborah is proud to continue their legacy in her role as a trustee on the CLP Board.

The June B. and William W. Mullins Fund was established in 1989 by the June B. and William W. Mullins Foundation. June Bonner Mullins (1927 – 2000) was a special education professor at Pitt from 1968 until 1988 and an advocate for accessibility and equity. William W. Mullins (1927 – 2001) was a professor and former dean of the School of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. This fund provides support for Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s accessibility initiatives.

Ralph Munn served as the President and Director of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh from 1928 – 1964. During that time, he also served as the Dean of the Library School at Carnegie Institute of Technology. Under his leadership, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh made strides to serve the Pittsburgh community with greater equity and inclusivity, including the hiring of the first African-American librarian in 1944. Upon his retirement in1964, the Ralph Munn Lecture Series Fund was established to provide annual lectures on librarianship and library sciences. Today, Munn’s legacy as a teacher and advocate for literacy and learning is recognized with a creative writing program for high school students in Allegheny County. The Ralph Munn Creative Writing Contest and annual anthology is made possible with income from this fund.

The Leroy O. Myers Fund was established in 2013 with a bequest from Leroy O. Myers. This fund provides broad support to Library operations, facilities, services, and resources.

The Donna Grace Nativio, PhD CRNP Fund was established in 2021 by Donna Grace Nativio, who dedicated decades of her life to nursing and teaching at the University of Pittsburgh. This fund provides broad support to Library operations, facilities, services, and resources.

Established in 2015, the Shirley A. Page Children’s Fund enhances library services for children living in and around the East Liberty neighborhood, including collections, outreach, educational and cultural programs, or other initiatives that support children and families. Learn more about Shirley A. Page and her legacy here.

My mother married as a teenager during the period called the Great Depression. She did not have a high school diploma but was a strong, resourceful, working parent who raised my two sisters and me. She knew the value of an education.

Within walking distance of our house on Omega Street (now extinct) was the East Liberty branch library, located at Station Street and Larimer Avenue. She introduced us to the library and borrowed books for us to read at home. At times, we would go with her into the room for adults. The children’s room was our favorite room. I remember the giant-size colored murals on one wall. There were shelves and shelves of picture books of all sizes. The librarian would let us look through the books and tell us something about the story. Mother would use her library card and choose the books. Mother’s card and our cards were well-used before I left Pittsburgh for college. I remember story hours and holiday events and celebrations with snacks and small gifts. I still have copies of Reading Lists.

The East Liberty I knew as a child and teenager was a walkable, busy, integrated community full of stores, markets, offices, movie houses, churches and the Pennsylvania Railroad Station. It was a good place to live. How devastating it was in 1959. The community was demolished and redevelopment occurred. East Liberty was “reconfigured” to create a mall (Penn Circle). It was free of auto traffic and one-way streets that formed a ring around the main business district. What a site it was with boarded-up storefronts, businesses and the closed Pitt Railroad Station. There were blocks and blocks of empty lots, homes and apartment buildings. Families were forced to move, including my family, who had been residents of East Liberty for over 50 years.

Through the years, I visited my family during the summer months, and in 1959, I helped them move to East End. Other moves were made to East Hills and to Penn Hills/Verona. The closeness of the old neighborhood and neighbors remains a happy memory. Many of my friends and schoolmates have passed on have moved to other cities as I have moved to Philadelphia. Fortunately, four of the pillar institutions that were instrumental in my growth and development were able to remain in East Liberty. It is hoped that Roman Street Baptists Church, Carnegie Library – East Liberty, Kingsley House, Pittsburgh Dilworth School and Peabody High School (new name Obama Academy) will continue to reside and serve the residents of East Liberty for hundreds of years to come. — Shirley Page, 2015

The Pennsylvania Room Fund was created in 1928 by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution shortly after Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh announced the opening of the Pennsylvania Room. Dedicated to preserving and sharing primary materials and secondary resources that would enrich people’s understanding of the region, this room was established at CLP – Main “to place all the histories of Pennsylvania including, books, maps, atlases, biographies, official reports, and a large collection of books printed in Pittsburgh before 1860.” This fund continues to help maintain and grow this unique collection.

Inspired by many childhood visits to CLP – Hazelwood, retired Air Force Colonel Jean Migliorino Piccione created the Jean Migliorino Piccione Fund in 2021 in order to provide broad support to Library operations, facilities, services, and resources.

This fund was established in 1970 by the Pittsburgh Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS), which had been making large contributions to the Library since the 1920s. The ACS established an endowment fund to help support the purchase of academic journals and other materials that would support students of the hard sciences, professional scientists and science-enthusiasts. Today, this fund continues to support Library collections, particularly resources that inform and inspire scientists of all ages and levels of expertise.

The Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh Early Literacy Fund was created in 2016 through the generosity of Anne M. Molloy and Henry J. Posner III. Income from this endowed fund supports early learning initiatives throughout the Library system, including collections, programming, and special events which encourage every young child to see themselves as a reader and lifelong learner.

Longtime librarian at CLP – Main, Claire Pyle was honored by her colleagues with the creation of a special book fund upon her retirement. Touched by this gift and wishing to leave an everlasting legacy at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Claire left an additional gift in her estate, which became the permanently endowed Claire Pyle Fund in 2014. Income from this fund supports Library collections, particularly materials related to the Social Sciences.

This fund was established in 2001 with a gift from the estate of Susan J. Rapp. “For residents of the Northside who have had the pleasure and use of the information and books provided by the Branch.” Income from the fund enriches the lives of Northside neighbors by helping to provide materials at CLP – Allegheny.

Susan and Hesh Reinfeld established the Reinfeld Family Fund in 2019. The fund provides broad support to Library operations, facilities, services, and resources.

The Carol Robinson and Jeffrey Markel Fund was established in 2023. Providing broad support to Library operations, facilities, services, and resources, it also recognizes Carol and Jeffrey’s commitment to the Library and the people of Pittsburgh. Carol Robinson is a Life Trustee on the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Board of Trustees and served as chair of the Board from 2016 – 2021.

The George Q. Sargent Fund was established in memory of Dr. George Q. Sargent by his wife, Dr. Diana Mériz Sargent in 2019. The George Q. Sargent Memorial Fund recognizes their shared passion for Medieval through Baroque period music, CLP – Main’s Music Department, and systemwide music collections. Income from this fund enhances the Library’s collection of sound recordings in current formats, books, and other materials that support the study and love of music.

The Morris Schrero Memorial Fund was created in 1951 in memory of Morris Schrero. Income from the fund supports library materials related to sciences and technology.

The Carol McCann Scott Fund for Children’s Programming and Outreach was created in 2011 by Dr. Allan G. Scott in memory of his wife, a teacher and lifelong advocate for early learning. The fund helps Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh provide engaging programs inside library locations and throughout the communities currently served by CLP – Beechview, CLP – Brookline, CLP – Carrick, CLP – Knoxville, CLP – Mt. Washington and CLP – South Side.

During her lifetime, Carol McCann Scott was passionate about reading, writing and education. This endowment established in her memory at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will enhance children’s services in the communities closest to her childhood home in Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood. The Carol McCann Scott Fund for Children’s Programming and Outreach was established by her husband Dr. Allan G. Scott. According to Dr. Scott, Carol learned to read before she started school, and she loved the libraries near her Lillian Street home. “She was very fond of the Library. She always talked about how the librarians would reserve books for her [when she was a child] because they knew she would take care of them,” he said.

Carol’s love of learning was central to her career. Upon graduating from Duquesne University, she embarked upon several career paths including work with the National Security Agency, a position as a weekly newspaper editor and a job with the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation. Combining her technical and editorial skills, she went on to edit trade publications in the medical field, eventually owning her own publication business which specialized in nursing.

“I simply hope that some number of young children can pick up a love of reading and love of learning and it will give them pleasure, as well as help with their education and careers,” Dr. Scott said.

This fund was created in 2024 by Hannah Pileggi and Ryan Sims, parents who believe in the irreplaceable role libraries play in children’s lives; inspired by Georgia (age 3). Their hope is that Pittsburgh’s youth will always have a place to find comfort, knowledge, and inspiration at their local library.

Gladys Springer named Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh as a charitable beneficiary of her trust, and per her wishes, this fund was created in 2005 to help purchase large print books.

Established in 2021 by Chris and Dawn Fleischner, the purpose of the Teen and Young Adult Collections Fund is to provide flexible support for materials and resources for young people that enhance literacy and learning. Income from this endowed fund will help sustain library collections that primarily support teens, young people approaching their teens, and teens transitioning into adulthood.

The Lou and Kathy Testoni Fund was established in 2020. Providing broad support to Library operations, facilities, services and resources, it also recognizes Lou and Kathy’s commitment to the Library and the people of Pittsburgh. Lou serves as a Term Trustee on the Library’s Board of Trustees.

The Edith L. Trees Fund was created in 2019. This fund provides broad support for library services to children and teens with intellectual disabilities and helps ensure that library resources and services are accessible to individuals of all abilities.

The Damayanti and Manharlal Vyas Fund was created in 2025 to provide broad support to the operations, facilities, services and resources of CLP – Main.

From the daughter of Damayanti and Manharlal Vyas, Reshma Vyas:

Unlike their peers and friends, my parents, Damayanti and Manharlal Vyas eschewed the suburbs and instead chose to make their home in the City of Pittsburgh. Living in the city was a natural fit for my parents; it resonated with their values, their shared love of history, particularly their appreciation for historical architecture and most importantly of all, their lifelong belief in the value of civic culture.

As children, we were lucky that our parents instilled in us a respect for history, civic ideals and principles. Our parents made certain to point out key historical facts and features of buildings throughout the city, making certain we knew that these were not just ordinary structures and to foster an awareness of how fortunate we were to live in a city like Pittsburgh that was steeped in such rich history. My younger brother and I were always in awe of the grand, stalwart Carnegie Library as we made our way up the steps towards the entrance. The very appearance and architectural style of the library made a lasting impression on us as young children.

For my family, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh was more than a place to merely check out books. Our parents were avid lifelong learners, loved life and had a plethora of interests. They were knowledgeable, enthusiastic gardeners, enjoyed participating in many different sports (my mother was a certified deep water swimmer and diver) and loved the arts (as a family, we attended many classical music and jazz concerts in Oakland). Therefore, it is no surprise that my parents enrolled us in art classes and as many educational activities at the library as would fit into our schedule. We spent so much time at the library, it seemed as if we almost lived there.

The periodical room was one of my favorite places as a teenager. In fact, when I think about it, the Carnegie Library has been there for virtually every stage of my life as a young child, teenager, young adult, and now as a retiree. The Carnegie Library for my family is more than a treasured place for books and the pursuit of educational and personal enrichment activities. It is a focal symbol, transmitter and facilitator of civic ideals and culture. As much as my brother and I, as children, enjoyed the art and educational activities and classes at the Carnegie Library, it was the interaction of the other children, instructors and other families that cemented our sense of personal connection and commitment to a larger society. This would not have been possible, I think, without the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

It is my hope that our fund can make a meaningful difference in ensuring that future generations of children and families enjoy all opportunities offered by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh so they can learn, thrive, fulfill their dreams and potential; in short, all that my family has been so privileged to enjoy and from which we have greatly benefited.

Established in 2019, the Betsy H. and Charles B. Watkins Fund provides broad support for Library operations, facilities, services, and resources. This fund further recognizes Betsy and Charles’ commitment to the Library and people of our region. Betsy served on the Library’s Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2014. She continues to support the Library as an Emeritus Trustee.

This fund was established in 1963 through a bequest in Dr. Weinberg’s will. This fund helps to purchase materials related to health and medicine such as the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The Eileen J. Weiner Fund was established by a gift through her estate in 2024. This Fund recognizes Eileen’s deep appreciation for the resources and services provided by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. This Fund provides broad support for Library operations, facilities, services, and resources in perpetuity.

In the beautiful obituary written in her honor, Eileen’s friends described her as an attorney who reinvented herself many times—as a strategist and development officer for humanitarian health and educational nonprofits, a book reviewer and a documentary filmmaker. She was a prolific reader and someone who prized friendship above all.

The Belle White endowment fund was established in 2025 by two of her grandchildren, Irene Frieze and Frank Hanson. It provides broad support to the Library’s operations, facilities, services, and resources.

Belle White, our grandmother, was born in 1897 and died in 2001, living through three centuries. Throughout her long life, she was a frequent patron of the library and encouraged her own children and grandchildren to value the library, as well. Near the end of her life, she was living with Irene and her family in Pittsburgh as she slowly lost all her sight. As she lost her vision, she increasingly turned to what was known then as the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, for recorded books. These took the form of large records mailed in bright orange boxes. She always looked forward to receiving these mailings. She would listen to them on the record player provided by the library. Most of her days were spent with these records. We hope our gift to the Carnegie Library will help in a small way to give others the wonderful gift of books in their many forms.

Inspired by the passion and professionalism of Library staff at CLP – Squirrel Hill, Julia Wilson and Marcio Silva established the Wilson – Silva Fund in 2019. Income from this fund enhances professional learning and training opportunities that help Library staff flourish in their work to promote literacy and learning.

The John Worthington Fund was established in 1947. John Worthington’s personal library was donated to the Americana collection at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and income from this fund was to be used to preserve that unique collection and enhance Library materials about Wales, Welsh culture and language.

Maureen M. Young established the Stephen G. Young Fund in 2019 in memory of her late husband—a lifelong reader and advocate for libraries. Maureen served as a Library Board of Trustees Community Committee member. Income from the Stephen G. Young Family Fund provides flexible support to Library operations, facilities, services, and resources.

The Gregory and Karen Zovko Fund was established in 2022. Providing broad support to Library operations, facilities, services, and resources, it also recognizes Greg and Karen’s commitment to the Library and the people of Pittsburgh. Greg is a Life Trustee on the Library’s Board of Trustees.

Karen and Greg Zovko are blessed to be able to establish the Gregory and Karen Zovko Fund for the benefit of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Karen was raised in the Brookline neighborhood of Pittsburgh by her parents, Olga and Charles Oglesby. She was six years old and the second oldest of five children when, sadly, Charles passed away. With finances always tight in the family, Karen and her siblings frequented the Brookline branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for the joy of learning and reading. Her use of the library helped her earn a degree from Duquesne University and to have a successful career as an accountant. Her love of libraries continued as an adult as she was the president of the Friends of the Pleasant Hills Library for ten years.

Greg’s parents, Mary Ann and Robert Zovko, lived in Knoxville when he was born, and a few years later moved to Carrick. Robert also had an automotive repair shop on Pittsburgh’s South Side, so Greg became familiar with three Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branches as a child. Greg graduated from Penn State, worked for United States Steel for 31 years, and retired as the Company’s Vice President and Controller. He joined the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees in 2009 and served on several committees, including chairing the Finance Committee for several years. He was honored to be selected as a life trustee of this great organization. –Greg and Karen Zovko, 2022