During her lifetime, Carol McCann Scott was passionate about reading, writing and education. An endowment established in her memory at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is enhancing 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, established through the generosity of Dr. Allan G. Scott of Towson, Maryland, is helping the Library provide literacy and educational outreach to children living in Pittsburgh’s southern neighborhoods to ensure that all children have an opportunity to play, learn and bond through Library programs.

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 some books for her because they knew she would take care of them.”

Carol’s love of learning was central to her career. Upon graduating from Duquesne University, she worked for the National Security Agency, as a weekly newspaper editor, and for the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation. Combining her technical and editorial skills, she went on to edit trade publications in the medical field, including Medical World News, and eventually owned her own publication business specializing in the field of nursing.

“This endowment is a wonderful example of the power of libraries to transform lives,” said Mary Frances Cooper, CLP President and Director. “The Carol McCann Scott Fund allows our librarians to develop creative literacy programs that help our youngest users become lifelong readers and learners.”

Each year, the endowment support programs and activities provided by Children’s librarians from CLP’s Knoxville, Carrick, Mt. Washington, Beechview, Brookline and South Side libraries. Income from the endowment is available for programs that the staff feel will make the greatest difference in the literacy and learning needs of children, especially those in need of extra support. The guidelines are flexible, allowing staff to try new programs and approaches to reach children who otherwise might not have access to the library.

In recent years, income from the fund has allowed the Library to host presenters from local museums and non-profit organizations, support homework help, purchase books and toys, and create more welcoming environments with interactive literacy and learning experiences for our youngest learners.

The revitalized spaces encourage children and their adults to come to their neighborhood libraries to attend programs, read books, and play and learn together.

“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,” Scott said.

To learn more about how you can create a legacy or honor a loved one, please contact Anne Lee at 412-622-6276 or leeanne@carnegielibrary.org.