Carnegie Library of Washington D.C.
{{about|the building in Mount Vernon Square|other Carnegie libraries|List of Carnegie libraries in Washington, D.C.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| name = Central Public Library
| nrhp_type =
| image = Carnegie Library, Washington, D.C.jpg
| caption = Carnegie Library building, located at Mount Vernon Square, houses the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. (2019)
| location = Mount Vernon Sq., 8th and K Streets, NW.
Washington, D.C.
| nearest_city =
| coordinates = {{coord|38|54|9.36|N|77|1|22.44|W|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin = United States Washington, D.C. central
| area = {{convert|2.74|acre|ha}}
| built = 1901-03
| architect = Ackerman & Ross
| architecture = Beaux-Arts architecture
| added = December 3, 1969
| refnum = 69000290{{NRISref|version=2010a}}
}}
The Carnegie Library of Washington D.C., also known as Central Public Library, now known as the Apple Carnegie Library, is situated in Mount Vernon Square, Washington, D.C.
History
= Use as library =
The library was donated to the public by entrepreneur Andrew Carnegie and was dedicated on January 7, 1903. It was designed by the New York firm of Ackerman & Ross in the Beaux-Arts style. It was the first Carnegie library in Washington, D.C., and the District's first desegregated public building.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2016/09/21/apple-targets-historic-carnegie-library-for-downtown-flagship-store/|title=Apple targets historic Carnegie Library for downtown flagship store|first=Jonathan|last=O'Connell|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=September 21, 2016|accessdate=July 8, 2019}} It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as "Central Public Library", in 1969.{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=69000290}}|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Central Public Library, District of Columbia / Carnegie Library |publisher=National Park Service|first=Nancy C. |last=Taylor |date=April 30, 1969 |accessdate=November 13, 2016 }} with {{NRHP url|id=69000290|photos=y|title=two photos from 1969}} It was used as the central public library for Washington, D.C. for almost 70 years before it became overcrowded. The central library was then moved to Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. After being shut down for ten years, it was renovated as part of University of the District of Columbia.{{cite news |last=Valente |first=Judith |title=UDC Opens $4.2 Million Library, But Its Campus Not Likely to Be Built |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1980/12/11/udc-opens-42-million-library-but-its-campus-not-likely-to-be-built/eaa44cc9-cc8e-4c08-9944-c6c3a8f2fab9/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 11, 1980}}
= Historical Society of Washington, D.C. =
In 1999, it became the headquarters for the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.{{cite web |url=http://www.historydc.org/carnegielibrary.aspx |title=Carnegie Library |accessdate=July 8, 2019 |publisher=Historical Society of Washington, D.C. |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203140952/http://www.historydc.org/carnegielibrary.aspx |archivedate=February 3, 2012 }} The City Museum of Washington opened in the library in May 2003, but closed less than two years later.{{cite news |last=Trescott |first=Jacqueline |title=City Museum to Close Its Galleries |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18694-2004Oct8.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 9, 2004 |page=A1}} In 2014, Events DC twice sought to move the International Spy Museum into the library, but failed to win historic preservation approval.{{cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Jonathan |date=October 7, 2014 |title=Deal to move Spy Museum to Carnegie Building falls apart |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2014/10/07/deal-to-move-spy-museum-to-carnegie-building-falls-apart/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |location=Washington, DC |access-date=March 12, 2016}}
= Apple Carnegie Library =
File:2020.12.05 DC Street, Washington, DC USA 340 08208 (50696206706).jpg
In September 2016, Apple Inc. proposed renovating the library into D.C.'s second Apple Store location. In December 2016, Events DC announced an agreement with the company for conversion of the space into a new store designed by Foster and Partners.{{cite news|first=Karen |last=Goff|title=Exclusive: Apple agrees to open flagship store at Carnegie Library|date=December 6, 2016|work=Washington Business Journal|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2016/12/06/apple-agrees-to-open-flagshipstore-at-carnegie.html}}{{cite web|url=https://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/apple-retail-store-carnegie-library_o|publisher=Architect Magazine: The Journal of the American Institute of Architects|date=July 28, 2017|first=Sara|last=Johnson|title=Apple Retail Store, Carnegie Library|accessdate=July 8, 2019}} The building was renamed the Apple Carnegie Library, and the Apple Store within opened on May 11, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2019/05/09/apple-store-carnegie-library-dc-photos/|title=Apple Carnegie Library: An inside look at Apple's most ambitious store yet|date=May 9, 2019|first=Michael|last=Steeber|publisher=9to5Mac|accessdate=July 8, 2019}} Apple hosts free daily sessions focused on photography, filmmaking, music creation, coding, design and more.
On October 9, 2019,{{Cite web|url=https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/833092.page|title=Anyone go to Oprah's book club taping yesterday?|website=www.dcurbanmom.com|access-date=2019-11-02}} the first episode of Oprah's Book Club, a television series produced by Apple, was filmed with a live audience in the Library. The episode premiered on November 1 of the same year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/09/oprahs-book-club-starts-a-new-chapter-with-apple/|title=Oprah's Book Club starts a new chapter with Apple|website=Apple Newsroom|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-02}}
The building also now houses the DC History Center on the second floor, and the Carnegie Gallery (featuring historic photographs and documents about the origins and history of the building) in the basement.{{cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/05/apple-carnegie-library-opens-saturday-in-washington-dc/|title=Press Release: Apple Carnegie Library opens Saturday in Washington, D.C.|publisher=Apple Inc.|date=May 9, 2019|accessdate=July 8, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/back-to-the-past-panoramic-photos-come-alive-at-the-new-dc-history-center/2019/05/12/aaec7f16-74b4-11e9-bd25-c989555e7766_story.html|title=Back to the past: Panoramic photos come alive at the new DC History Center|first=John|last=Kelly|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=May 12, 2019|accessdate=July 8, 2019}}