In 1870, Dr. John Finfrock housed the first collection of more than 1,000 books from the newly formed Wyoming Library and Literary Association at his offices on South A Street in Laramie. In 1902, Eli Crumrine and Dr. Aven Nelson successfully petitioned the Andrew Carnegie foundation for a $20,000 grant to support a public library in Laramie.
The Carnegie Library still stands today at 4th and Grand Avenue, although the Albany County Library system has two other branches in Centennial and Rock River, Wyoming.