Martin Luther (back then, we called him "Marty" or "Mart-Boy", of course) caused quite a ruckus that is still reverbarating today. Because he championed the publication of the bible in the vernacular, a bunch of folks started printing bibles and other books that way. In a bit of a reversal of the state of today's education, this led to a shockingly large tsunami of (gasp!) literacy. (E.g., about 1580 someone wrote that it was not unusual when riding around London to see roofers and other artisans *reading* as they ate lunch. Granted, the numbers of illiterates was so great that the bulk of the population remained illiterate, but the groundswell had begun and readin' and writin' were no longer the unique province of clerics.)

Before you knew it, there were enough books around that folks needed special places to house them. These were called "libraries" (from the Latin root "libra") and the body of knowledge for handling them was called "bibliotechal" (from the Greek, "biblios").

The first libraries were for kings, princes, scholars and what-not, but along about the end of the 17th Century some of the middle class got the idea that libraries might be A Good Thing and started their own. Anyone who could afford to contribute (or subscribe) a fixed amount was welcome. A hundred years or so later, folks got the idea that maybe libraries were SUCH a Good Idea that they should be supported by public taxes, and the concept of the "free" public library was born (which is why "free" libraries can charge you when your books are late -- joining is free, but the fines enforce the rules).

Anyway, Mr. Carnegie got into the act because he'd found public libraries to be Good Things in his life. Libraries started up on places that wanted one but couldn't afford to start one, in the US and elsewhere (Ireland, for instance). Eventually computers got into the act and we all know (or should!) what that has led to!

One could say that in addition to freeing folks from Rome, Marty also liberated knowledge.

By the way, Elvis, Billie Jean, Nat Cole, and Nixon are also frozen in that secret place up near Thule in Greenland, with Little Hawk, JFK, Janis Joplin, Marily Monroe, John XXIII, and the rest. Nixon is there so that They can keep an eye on him.