Andrew Carnegie's love of books remains an enduring legacy in many Canadian towns.

Over 125 libraries in Canada were built in the early 1900s with donations from the American tycoon.

I have a special place in my heart for public libraries. As a child growing up in South Africa at a time when TV was not available, the local library was my equivalent of a theme park, my rides were the adventures to be found in free books and encyclopedias. The library was a gateway to the rest of the world, where hours of rambling and diversions kept…