Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist. His wealth came from the steel industry, but he was known for his great philanthropy. He donated to many different causes for the betterment of United States citizens. However, he was notably less generous as an employer. Human beings can be quite complicated with empathy in one area and lack of empathy in another. That being said, Carnegie had a profound effect on the nation through his gifts. The first time that as a child I encountered his name was his gifts to establish libraries in the U.S. As a child of limited means, the Carnegie library in our town seemed like finding a treasure chest. All these books which could be read at no cost! What a wonder that seemed--a gateway to both the real world and the imaginary one. The state with the most Carnegie libraries was Indiana. In addition to libraries in the U.S. there were over 1,200 scattered across the English-speaking world. The purpose of great wealth should always be to make the world a better place. So should it be for our small wealth. I wish that Andrew Carnegie was a flawless hero, but I do know that his gift of a small-town library benefited one little boy who loved to read and learn. So, thank you, Andrew Carnegie, for your gifts, especially to the young readers and learners.