Our weavers are ecstatic - Regensteiner is a guru of weaving. #BacktoLife indeed.

Exciting visit to our weavers’ studio - watch this space for further news! #BacktoLife in so many ways.

Fun fact: why is the photographer holding a beautiful colourful tapestry?

Here ends our recent wee series of #CaliforniaCarnegies and #ColoradoCarnegies! We visited Cahuenga, Santa Barbara, Lincoln Heights, South Pasadena, Denver Main, Decker, and Idaho Springs - a spectacular range of styles, locations, histories and stories of staff and users

#ColoradoCarnegies with Denver main, replacing the original Carnegie next to it, as one flourishes a free public library and the other is converted to a museum. Congratulations to @denvercitysound.bsky.social for far-sighted investments, beautiful architecture and coherent positive planning.

The public library in Denver built to replace the Carnegie, a stunningly successful beautiful modern edifice full of books, art and ideas. We enjoyed our #ColoradoCarnegies after our #CaliforniaCarnegies a beacon of learning in spectacular space. Carnegie legacy continued by @Denverlib

Art meets reality (or is it vice versa?)

We’re moving from #CaliforniaCarnegies to #ColoradoCarnegies The amazing main Denver free public library was a lengthy project - so much that Carnegie missed the grand opening because they were still debating the fittings and shelving… Now a civic building (events, weddings etc.)

La pièce de résistance of our #CaliforniaCarnegies series, Lincoln Heights free Carnegie Library (1916) in LA. Modelled on an Italian villa, thrumming with the local immigrant community and staff who experienced a scale four earthquake!

South Pasadena Carnegie library #3 in our #CaliforniaCarnegies - a lovely shaded edifice, fine statuary, elegant spaces - huge gnarled fig tree outside!

We visited Cahuenga Carnegie in Los Angeles, on our tour of #CaliforniaCarnegies. A beautifully decorative yet functional library in an area of acute deprivation. Armenian Korean and Ukrainian languages, music, English and Spanish classes, talks and seminars all in positivity

The Santa Barbara Library, #1 of our #CaliforniaCarnegies enjoys stunning art, notable architecture and special staff - knowledfriendly to visitors. Librarian Gerard was intrigued by our stories of #IrishCarnegies and our own plans for the Carnegie Centre for Weaving in North Belfast!

The first of our #CaliforniaCarnegies is found in Santa Barbara, a fine public library with many decorative features; helpful and informative staff eager to help - and learn about their benefactor. Some lovely art too as well as archives, books and music.

Art meets reality (or is it vice versa?)

Rathmines Carnegie Library (1913) enjoys a fascinating backstory. #24 in our #IrishCarnegies started conception in 1887 when Rathmines adopted the Libraries Act, built a library. Carnegie at first declined the bid in 1902 (you’ve got one!); evidence on population growth swayed the donor.

The Dublin Trades Council threatened a strike over use of terracotta rather than stone (oh, for another £260!). Carnegie was uncertain about the huge technical school next door (I do libraries not education!). Eventually the baroque facade emerged, ionic columns, dramatic staircase…

Rathmines Carnegie Library Dublin #24 in our #IrishCarnegies. 100th Anniversary brochure of heritage and architecture plus many enthusiastic users and borrowers! @fingal.ie @carnegieendowment.org

#IrishCarnegies #24 Carnegie was uncertain about the huge technical school next door (I do libraries not education!). Eventually the baroque facade emerged, ionic columns, dramatic staircase, literary stained glass, a (leaky) cupola, carved wood, high windows. A pièce de résistance!

The Dublin Trades Council threatened a strike over use of terracotta rather than stone (oh, for another £260!). Carnegie was uncertain about the huge technical school next door (I do libraries not education!). Eventually the baroque facade emerged, with ionic columns. A pièce de résistance!

The elegant Pembroke Carnegie Library graces South Dublin by the canal on Anglesea Road by the RDS. Embassy quarter fuels frequent use said librarian Gemma. The 1916 Defence of the Realm Act had prohibited buildings of over £500, so it took till 1925 to win relief! #23 in our #IrishCarnegies

We enjoyed the super #Dublin cycling infrastructure on our tour of #IrishCarnegies Most journeys across the fair city were 50% plus on segregated lanes!

Oh dear. We know apostrophication can be tricky, especially with an already plural word. Not to mention ‘ladies’ as a term. Did women scare them off?

The boy comes home from Edinburgh with a present for his dad…

For those following our domestic flood saga, ten weeks later repair work begins. Living room stuff sent to storage, carpet covered and ceiling ready for repair. Followed by the replastering, cornice and ceiling rose restoration, then redecoration. For once, thank goodness for insurance!

Dublin Central and Galway West by-elections on 22 May are a key bellwether to Irish politics…

Tight but efficient cycle rack on @iarnrod trains

Searching for Pearse St. Carnegie library in our bible of #IrishCarnegies we thought Brendan Grimes of UCD Archives had forgotten it! However the fault was ours - it was listed as Great Brunswick St (#22 in series) as Pearse hadn’t yet done his thing. An imposing double-fronted edifice - ‘severe’?

#21 in our #IrishCarnegies - the squat but purposeful Charleville Mall Carnegie Library (1910) beautifully located on the leafy canal, not far from O’Connell St, Connolly and Croker. ‘Respectable piece of architecture enlivened with some good brick detailing’ Grimes. Sadly ’closed for lunch’

We’ve returned to our wee series of #IrishCarnegies this time #20-24 in Dublin. Andrew Carnegie gifted 2500 libraries around the globe, 66 on the island of Ireland! #BacktoLife

What a story! Thanks @jillmorris.bsky.social

Cahirciveen Carnegie Library County Kerry, one of the 66 #IrishCarnegies enjoys a chequered birth: - two architects sacked (inc Daniel O’Connell grandson of the Librrator) - a decade of delay (1902-1911) - poor governance (Ctte of over 50) Story from Brendan Grimes’s book on all on the island.

Our scout Jill visited Cahirciveen Carnegie (c1910), in Kerry, a huge small town library, dogged by controversy (more soon!). It’s under yet another reconstruction for #BacktoLife efforts. More #IrishCarnegies coming up!

Yes, it’s @julieandrews2.bsky.social from the Linenhall Library with whom we share so much #Belfast heritage and #BacktoLife ambition!

Mystery guest came visiting to show support for our #BacktoLife endeavours and to share and learn - who might she be?

Heritage and weaving tour for @Arts_ekta showing support for our #BacktoLife efforts.

Our pièce de résistance is coming up soon - #11 in our #GlasgowCarnegies features the formidable @womenslibrary.bsky.social a restored Carnegie edifice of particular beauty and inspiring usage!

The beauty of @glasgowwomen.bsky.social Library is its fabulous Carnegie building, elegant refurb and fantastic interior fizzing with people, ideas, artefacts, exhibitions and books of course! Our tour of #GlasgowCarnegies #11 is nearly over. @sghetorg.bsky.social @dennistounstyle.bsky.social

Great write-up here about the process thx to @randmhousekpr.bsky.social Well done to @collectivearch.bsky.social www.dezeen.com/2016/04/09/c...

Ridiculous, outrageous, far-fetched and implausible but for those in lobbying, great fun! Well done @lionelzei.bsky.social

We visited Templemore Baths a spectacular reconstruction by @belfastcc.bsky.social for East Side Partnership - swimming pool shell and heritage museum in east Belfast’s overdue regeneration

I really like the clever modern addition of the (black) lift shaft minimising disruption to the integrity of the interior

Great to see our friends @riddelswarehouse.bsky.social open up their ground floor windows! #BacktoLife

Any researchers out there who might help with this query?

Our final conundrum in our #GlasgowCarnegies is Partick Library - is it a Carnegie or not? Built in 1925 (two decades later than others), not the full £ amount (as he usually gave) and different style. Was it because Partick Burgh wasn’t yet in @glasgowcitycouncil.bsky.social?

Any researchers out there who might help with this query?

Line drawing of our elegant frontage

Ridiculous, outrageous, far-fetched and implausible but for those in lobbying, great fun! @spiindoctor.bsky.social

Great write-up here about the process thx to @randmhousekpr.bsky.social Well done to @collectivearch.bsky.social www.dezeen.com/2016/04/09/c...

I love the lift shaft extension on the right - practical and effective, also elegant, minimising damage to the integrity of the interior! Who was the architect?