I'm not arguing in favor of privatizing libraries. Carnegie really is the single most important source of the US public library system, funding thousands of the

I'm not arguing in favor of privatizing libraries. Carnegie really is the single most important source of the US public library system, funding thousands of them across the country, with the modern equivalent of billions of dollars. He didn't invent the concept of public libraries, but it's not a stretch to say that he founded the modern US public library system. Edit: I'm countering GP's claim that capitalism would prevent libraries from appearing today. There are plenty of privately-funded public-benefit institutions now, like the Gates Foundation and others, doing things that governments arguably ought to be doing but aren't.