With the opening of the Carnegie Library, all residents of Whitby could now obtain a membership. Hours of operation were from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 Monday to Friday. Books could be checked out for fourteen days with the exception of new books, which could only be checked out for seven days. Fines for overdue books were 2 cents per day. The library became a centre for many social and cultural meetings.

The Carnegie Library housed the Whitby Public Library’s collection for 59 years, closing only once in 1917 due to a coal shortage which affected fuel supplies for heating the building.