Beginning in 1893 as a parish library at St. Agnes Chapel on West 91st Street, the St. Agnes Branch also housed a small collection for the Library for the Blind. In 1906, the St. Agnes Branch opened its doors in its present home on Amsterdam Avenue. The three-story structure—featuring gracefully arched windows at the first and second floors, and a strongly detailed roofline—was erected with funds given to the city by Andrew Carnegie for the construction of branch libraries throughout the five boroughs.