2020 Annual Report - Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

The New
Normal
2020 ANNUAL REPORT
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

“After much deliberation
and some really difficult
conversations, it is with a
heavy heart that we have made
the decision that Carnegie Library
of Pittsburgh should temporarily
close to curtail the spread of
COVID-19 effective Sunday,
March 15, 2020. We are essential
and important to our community.
However, in the interest of our
public’s health, we have a role
to play in preventing a public
health crisis.”
– Message to the Public
March 14, 2020

Dear Friends,
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and the world, have been changed by the
events of 2020. No one could have predicted that, more than a year since
the first reported case of COVID-19 in our region, this global pandemic would
continue to impact our lives. We share the grief of those who have lost loved
ones to the virus.
To say 2020 was an unprecedented year does not fit the gravity our nation
faced and continues to face – the strain on our hospitals; shuttered businesses;
children struggling with virtual learning; empty grocery store shelves; widespread
unemployment; the loss of lives; millions of people in need of basic
human services. It was scary, stressful and at times very uncertain.
Our Library, like so many throughout the country, was not immune to the
pandemic. On March 15, all CLP locations closed to help mitigate the spread
of the COVID-19 virus. What we initially thought would be a two- or threeweek
pause while our community “flattened the curve” became a monthslong
journey to protect our Library, support our staff and serve our community
within the confines of a severe global pandemic. It was not easy, but our
greatest asset - our staff - persevered. The sudden closure of our library
spaces forced us to reinvent how we serve our community. With buildings
closed, staff immediately focused on virtual services. That initial need for
books, videos and other digital content to entertain ourselves during selfisolation
quickly grew into a need for social connection. With each passing
day, the need for library resources became more apparent. In the early days
of the pandemic, staff responded to more than 15,000 virtual chat, email
and phone inquiries to assist patrons with printing needs, tax preparation
help and finding basic necessities.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020
To reach patrons without direct access to technology, we collaborated with
several partners to provide high-quality books to children in underserved
communities. During the summer, staff distributed more than 5,300 books
to 26 locations (such as recreation, community and family centers) within the
City of Pittsburgh. All were given to children to keep for their own.
2

By late June, we began offering curbside services, including pick up/drop off
of materials, expanded outdoor Wi-Fi and remote printing. By mid-August,
library buildings reopened for limited in-person services, including public
access to computers, and in November, we expanded in-person services to
include limited browsing. Families entering the new school year faced a new
challenge with virtual learning. To support students through this transition, we
loaned 550 hotspots to families, primarily those without access to reliable
internet service, to use through the end of the school year. As a third wave
of COVID-19 hit our region, we returned to curbside and virtual service for the
rest of 2020. Yet, somehow through all of this uncertainty we completed our
18th library renovation project, CLP – Mt. Washington and moved forward
with construction on the reimagined CLP – Downtown library.
As this report goes to print we are delighted that all CLP locations are open.
Vaccination efforts are encouraging. We are more comfortable with inviting
people into our buildings and continue to rebuild relationships with partners.
While 2020 made it impossible for us to hold our annual public meeting,
the following pages contain updates from our dedicated board
Committee Chairs.
Thank you for your commitment to literacy and learning in our region.
Please take good care of yourself, and each other.
Mary Frances Cooper
President & Director
3

The Library is constantly evolving.
On November 5, 2020 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh quietly celebrated our 125th anniversary of serving
the people of Pittsburgh. During that 125-year history, the Library has been a comfort for people during
difficult times, including natural disasters, threats of terrorism, civil unrest and pandemics.
The Library is emerging from the current pandemic as a stronger and more innovative organization.
We have made exciting strides forward with digital service offerings that people can access remotely. We
are thinking more holistically about the integration of traditional in-person services with “CLP - Virtual.”
Our “LibChat” tool, launched at the start of the Commonwealth’s shut down, provides real-time support
via our website and a new text messaging feature quickly became an essential part of connecting directly
with our patrons. Online card registration, individual assistance with career services and digital literacy,
expanded eResources, virtual storytimes, book clubs and teen programs all provided patrons with the
comfort that CLP was available to help even when visiting the physical library was not possible.
We are committed to offering library services and programs that are equitable and that meet the diverse
needs of our community. This pandemic has brought to light the visible cracks in our society and
emphasized the wide digital divide among our residents. With your help, we will be able to find creative
and innovative ways to support all people.
In honor of our anniversary, we launched, CLP125.org, a website that combines a timeline, historical
documents and imagery that tells the Library’s story. Local filmmaker, Dean Bog, was given exclusive
access to chronicle how the Library adapted and innovated during 2020. His four-part series, available
for viewing on CLP’s YouTube channel, highlights our 125-year history, as well as the staff, volunteers,
advocates and board members who are committed to delivering essential library services to the region
during these extraordinary times.
Through prudent fiscal responsibility and strategic planning, we are working to make sure the Library
continues to be a beacon for our community for the next 125 years and beyond. Thank you for taking this
journey with us. Together, we can ensure that our Library remains a vital resource for our entire community.
– Patrick Dowd
Chair, Board of Trustees
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020
A
Youth Services Library
Assistant Cheryl Patalano
records a Virtual Storytime.
B
Families received free books
and Summer Reading
materials at CitiParks
Magee Recreation Center.
4

A
B
5

6
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020

Children’s Librarian
Laura Hughes films a
Storytime video in the
backyard of her home in
the summer of 2020.

Anyone can come to the Library. It’s a place for everyone.
The virtual services we put in place in 2020 have addressed and nurtured a need that people
didn’t know they had. At the same time, we know that we are not reaching as many people as we were
pre-pandemic. Visiting our libraries is important to the community. The Library is a communal, equitable
and inclusive space. It is a place where people can learn, grow and transform their lives. The Library
serves as the center of the community, delivering help in times of need.
While COVID-19 temporarily forced us to limit library services to only virtual and contactless curbside
options in 2020, because of you we were able to persevere through several major renovation projects.
CLP - Downtown temporarily closed on March 7, 2020 to begin its long-awaited expansion project at
its current location on Smithfield Street. The following week, we opened a temporary “Pop Up” location
across the street to provide limited services to the busy Downtown community during the renovation
process. After one successful week in the 300-square foot space, the pandemic forced the closure of
the Pop Up along with all other CLP facilities. In addition to enhanced collections and computer access,
the significantly larger Downtown space will feature dedicated spaces for Children and Teens as well as
several community meeting rooms for large and small groups.
CLP - Mt. Washington was completed at the end of December 2020 after a year-long renovation
project that added 46% more space to the building. As we continue to expand in-person services, young
children will enjoy exploring the fun, colorful children’s area; teens will benefit from the space designed
just for them and adults will find the resources they need – whether it is a comfortable place to read a
book, information on starting a new business or exploring a new career path. With the completion of this
project and its addition of a new accessible ramp and elevator, we are proud to report that all 19 of CLP’s
neighborhood libraries are now fully ADA accessible.
In late October 2020, CLP’s Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped changed its name to the
Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP). The new name, which better reflects the
community of users, focuses on the services provided rather than on disability, and allows more room
to grow those services to print disabled Pennsylvanians. Services to all print disabled patrons in
Pennsylvania has transitioned to a state-wide website, MyLAMP.org.
Our number one priority has been and remains keeping our employees and visitors safe and protected.
At the beginning of the pandemic, we researched and implemented safe practices and made rigorous,
detailed plans to implement mitigation measures, including enhanced cleaning and continuously revised
our plans as new information became available. As our locations continue to welcome patrons back into
our spaces, the tireless work and lessons learned from our partner libraries around the county, the
Commonwealth and across the country, as well as from local cultural institutions will guide us through
all pandemic-related pivots, adaptations and future planning.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020
– Will Allen and Lafe Metz
Co-Chairs, Facilities Committee
C
CLP-Mt. Washington
Grand Reopening
ribbon-cutting.
8

“I miss my books so much. Oh my goodness.
When you are able to send books again,
I don’t know. I don’t do email.
I understand what we are going through,
but boy do I miss my books.
Thank you for the books in the past.”
Patron’s voicemail message left for
the Library of Accessible Media for
Pennsylvanians (LAMP), March 2020
C
9

10
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020

LAMP Employee
Eric Hone cleans and
readies an audio
player to send out
to a patron.

The words ‘Free to the People’ etched above our doors are an important
part of Pittsburgh’s heritage and are still significant to our community
125 years later.
Now 125 years strong, CLP continues to operate under the original Trust Agreement established
between Andrew Carnegie and the City of Pittsburgh in 1895. Because the CLP Board is a governing
board, a fiduciary board and a fundraising board, every effort is made to recruit and retain a diverse
group of Trustees that is reflective of our community. The Committee on Trusteeship annually reviews
the composition of the Board and seeks prospective candidates considering demographic information,
work and life experiences, geographic representation from across our community as well as specific
skill sets that would benefit the work of the Board.
2020 was a year that demanded heightened calls for racial and social justice across the nation and in
our region. CLP’s Board of Trustees formed a special Diversity & Inclusion Task Force to address
Board-related policies and statements of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh around race and social equity
and to further define the diversity strategy for our Board and aspirations for the Library. Task Force
members focused their work on Diversity & Inclusion within the Board itself as well as Board
stewardship of the Library’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. The Committee on
Trusteeship will play a leadership role to ensure that our Board of Trustees, and the whole Library
system, benefits from all the richness of skills and perspectives that our community has to offer.
– Cary Reed
Chair, Committee on Trusteeship
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020
D
Best Books for Babies Diaper
Drop drive-up event provided
resources for local families.
E
Library Services Manager Maria
Joseph helps prepare materials
for the 2020 Summer Reading
book distribution.
12

D
E
13

Throughout the Library’s 125-year history, we have welcomed patrons
from all walks of life, transcending barriers by serving all, regardless
of race, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation, income, religious or
political beliefs.
We wish we were able to get together in 2020, but social distancing kept us from holding our Annual
Public Board Meeting. While it isn’t the same, the Library commissioned filmmaker Dean Bog to help
us engage with the Pittsburgh community. The Dean Bog Video Series on CLP’s YouTube channel
(The New Normal: How Carnegie Library Has Responded to the Pandemic; Carnegie Library’s
Advocates & Partners; Getting to Know the Carnegie Library Board; and Free to the People for
125 Years) provides firsthand accounts of special library memories, impactful partnerships, virtual
services and a commitment to equity and inclusion.
Black Lives Matter protests in Pittsburgh and across the nation during the summer demonstrated the
unimaginable hurt our community was feeling. While our buildings, welcoming spaces where
community members are encouraged to gather, learn and support one another were closed, staff were
still able to engage patrons in a number of ways. A curated community resource webpage that included
informational resources and booklists on race and social justice reached more than 36,000 people and
was widely shared though social media. We arranged for our patrons to receive unlimited access to
social and racial justice eBook and eAudio titles, and held open dialogs led by former Pittsburgh Pirates
player Josh Bell. In addition, more than 200 titles from CLP’s “Here to Help Community Collections”
were delivered to Little Free Libraries in Pittsburgh neighborhoods to provide support to the Black
community and educate the entire community on antiracist practices.
While significant progress has been made with various equity, diversity and inclusion efforts since 2018,
we recognize that we still have much work to do in this area. We all have the power to engage in frank
conversations about race; the power to fight injustices against any member of our community; the
power to stand alongside our neighbors. A coordinated three-track process for CLP’s Board,
Leadership and Staff has been developed to ensure that CLP is demonstrating our collective
commitment to serving all cultures, races and communities.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020
– Marc Brown
Chair, External Relations Committee
F
Local filmmaker
Dean Bog on the steps
of CLP-Main.
14

“I want to say thank you for all of your resources that
are still provided during this pandemic! On behalf of
the community thank you for all of your help and
information on the wide range of topics. I really enjoy
your eBooks since we can’t get a physical copy of
material at this time. Thanks again and you’re all in
my thoughts and prayers that this ends soon!”
– Patron message,
April 2020
F
15

Best Books for Babies
book bundles
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020
Curbside and
Walk-up service
was introduced
in 2020.

17

Our supporters value their library and we value our supporters.
Thanks to you and our other generous supporters, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh continues to meet
the needs of our community in good times and bad.
So many things that happened in 2020 were unsettling, but we found great inspiration from the
steadfast support of our donors, volunteers and partners. Thank you for stepping up to support the
essential services the Library provides every day. You helped put books in the hands of the children
and teens who needed them most, provided support for job seekers and small business owners and
allowed us to develop virtual services to meet the needs of our home-bound patrons.
We are grateful for your contributions to Library Giving Day in April, Love Your Library month in
September and all the other giving opportunities throughout the year. All gifts, no matter the amount,
are valued and are making a difference in our community. With your support, we can pursue our
mission with conviction and passion regardless of the obstacles we face.
You make Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh a great library. Thank you for loving your Library!
– Pat Siger and Justin Krauss
Co-Chairs, Development Committee
2020 GIVING
LOVING YOUR LIBRARY – By the Numbers
• Almost 4,000 contributors made 7,500 gifts to support the Library’s mission
• 225 people are monthly Sustainers
• 32% of all contributors made at least one online gift; 30% at least one gift by mail
• Increasingly, supporters are giving through IRAs and Donor Advised Funds
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020
IMPACT OF GIVING
• Support for essential Library operations in the Pittsburgh region
• Investment in new service models, capital projects and literacy services
• Support for endowment and other sustainability initiatives, ensuring
that our libraries are “Free to the People” for generations to come
ENSURING THE LIBRARY’S LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY
• Endowment valued at $20.4 million on 12/31/20
• 67 named funds generating annual income
• 19 notifications that CLP is included in an estate plan
• 97 individuals are members of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Circle
18

G
H
19

A Library is like a limitless opportunity to get
a better understanding of life in general.
Like the rest of the world, CLP operations in 2020 were severely restricted due to the pandemic.
Even after the State-mandated closure of our facilities was lifted, ongoing concerns about the virus
and restrictions on capacity limits and social distancing impacted our ability to offer services as we
typically would.
The government-mandated restrictions also challenged the Library from a financial perspective. Each
year the Library sets a budget based on certain funding and operational assumptions. Although we
worked hard in recent years to diversify our overall funding, the decrease in sales tax, high unemployment
rates, lack of consumer spending and closed businesses impacted all of our revenue streams. The Library
applied for and was able to secure a Paycheck Protection Program loan from the first round of stimulus
funding, which allowed us to retain and pay all staff during the pandemic shutdown. A 20% reduction of
RAD’s annual funding allocation was offset by a grant through the County’s CARES Act funding.
There are many variables to consider as we move into 2021, and beyond. It is clear that the social and
economic impacts of COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future. What those implications will
be and what direct long-term effects they will have on the Library’s funding through sales tax, State
funding, Library Tax, Table Games and fundraising are still unknown. As a Board, we are responsible for
balancing service, staffing needs, safety and the long-term financial health of our Library and we will
ensure that expenses are appropriately aligned with revenues in a sustainable manner to best manage
those unknowns.
We have learned a lot about our library system this last year. We’ve learned that we are resilient;
we are entrepreneurial; and, with your help, we are unstoppable when we work together.
– LaShawnda Thomas
Chair, Finance Committee
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020
G (page 19)
First curbside pick-up…
CLP Allegheny
H (page 19)
Your support provided a
place for the Spak family
to spend quality time at
the Library.
I
I can’t go to the Library?
No worries, it will come to
you with Virtual Storytime.
20

“I want to say to EVERYONE who are Carnegie
Library staff. I love each one of you and wish
you all success, good health and happiness.
You have made my life hopeful, happy and full
of wonderment! I appreciate the guidance and
dignity. Be well. See you soon.”
– Patron voicemail
April 2020
I
21

2020 Operating Budget Information
2020
54.5%
13.6%
12.9%
10.4%
4.8%
2.0%
1.7%
0.1%
2020
56.2%
14.4%
10.8%
4.2%
3.8%
3.7%
2.9%
2.0%
2.0%
OPERATING REVENUES
•
Regional Asset District ................$ 18,581,700
City Library Tax ......................... 4,623,364
Allegheny County ....................... 4,395,425
Commonwealth of PA ....................3,550,732
Fundraising (Annual) .....................1,629,690
Earned Income ...........................681,583
Table Games ..............................563,611
City of Pittsburgh .........................40,000
TOTAL REVENUES. .................. $ 34,066,105
OPERATING EXPENSES
•
Salaries and Benefits .................$ 19,155,675
Library Materials .......................4,889,506
Facility Related ........................ 3,668,174
Fund Balance ...........................1,433,577
IT & Electronic Services .................. 1,286,531
Supplies & Professional Services .......... 1,272,372
Debt Service ............................ 997,250
Fundraising & Communication ............. 683,898
Utilities ................................. 679,122
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Annual Report 2020
TOTAL EXPENSES. .................. $ 34,066,105
22

2020 Fundraising Revenues by Source & Purpose
Unrestricted
Operating
(Operating Budget)
Restricted
Operating
Capital
Endowment
Library of Accessible
Media for
Pennsylvanians
Grand
Totals
Individuals
$ 620,598
$ 19,378
$ 2,076,773
$ 75,680
$ 26,563
$ 2,818,992
Bequests
—
5,000
—
—
—
5,000
Corporations
351,545
—
—
700
63
$352,308
Foundations
303,159
459,181
1,371,154
33,996
17,000
2,184,490
Groups and
Organizations
354,388
187,800
—
—
2,275
544,463
Trusts
—
5,311
—
—
—
5,311
$ 1,629,690
$ 676,670
$ 3,447,927
$ 110,376
$ 45,901
$ 5,910,564
Competitive
Government
Grants
—
$ 76,133
$ 504,250
—
—
$ 580,383
This report reflects private philanthropic revenues received in 2020, as well as revenue from
competitive government grant programs to support essential services that the Library provides.
The Library is something we all do together. Thank you for helping
us continue to delight, inform and educate people of all ages in
our community.
23

Board of Trustees
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2020
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Patrick Dowd, Chair
Lafe Metz, Vice Chair
Greg A. Zovko, Vice Chair
City Councilperson Erika Strassburger,
Secretary
Cindy Gerber, Treasurer
Will Allen
Marc Brown
Justin Krauss
Carolyn (Cary) B. Reed
Carol Robinson
Patricia L. Siger
LaShawnda Thomas
TRUSTEES
Carolyn Hess Abraham
Russell Ayres
Joel Bernard
State Senator Jay Costa
Kenyokee Crowell
Betty Cruz
County Councilperson Sam DeMarco III
Waverly Duck
City Councilperson Deb Gross
County Councilperson Bethany Hallam
Frances Jordan
City Councilperson Theresa Kail-Smith
Susan Kirsch
City Councilperson Bruce Kraus
Jeremy Kubica
City Councilperson R. Daniel Lavelle
Barbara Logan
State Representative Dan Miller
Laura Miller
Alice Mitinger
Huma Mohiuddin
Gia Tatone
Lou Testoni
Sylvia Wilson
TRUSTEE EMERITI
Marcia Gumberg
Frank J. Lucchino
James Walton
Betsy Watkins
COMMUNITY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Jessica Setzler
Whitney Cromie
PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR
Mary Frances Cooper

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