Geograph - photograph every grid square

The Central Library which is situated in Abbot Street Dunfermline was the world's first Carnegie Library, opening in August 1883.

In 1879 Andrew Carnegie had offered his native town £5000 to build a library. This library's success must have been a factor when he decided to finance a worldwide programme of almost 3000 public libraries throughout the English speaking world.

In 1904 the management of the library was taken over by the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust , who completed an extension to the original building before transferring control back to the Town Council in 1922.
The Trust continued, however, to contribute £400 per annum to the library until 1958, when the Council assumed the full cost of the service, including the latest library extension in 1993.