The Turn of the century

As the turn of the century loomed and New Orleans struggled to improve the New Orleans Public Library, a grant was made in the name of Simon Hernsheim, allowing the governing board to purchase new books immediately and invest the rest (NOPL, Centennial).   Shortly after the turn of the century, the greatest gift of all came through.  Just as New Orleans Public Library was faced with losing the building, a Carnegie grant came through for them.