Grand opening celebration marks halfway point in historic, transformational library bond program
PORTLAND, Ore.--June 12, 2025
Multnomah County Library is excited to announce the grand opening of Albina Library on July 19, 2025, the largest new library to open in Portland since Central Library opened in 1913. Albina Library is now a large, modern space, built to reflect its diverse neighboring communities.
What’s inside:
- Advance press tour July 16
- Ribbon cutting ceremony July 19
- Public celebration July 19-20
- New features and spaces: kids, teens, sensory needs, enclosed courtyard
- Careful historic preservation of 1913 Carnegie building
- Community-driven art
- Nine new community rooms, large and small
Multnomah County Library is transforming library spaces as part of a November 2020 capital bond. With the opening of Albina Library, we reached the halfway point in our ambitious capital bond program with 11 building projects (six Refreshes, four libraries and one Operations Center) successfully completed. The Library Capital Bond has responsibly used your investment to deliver beautiful, modern and transformed libraries.
Albina Library is a perfect representation of these transformations. The library preserved and updated the historic Carnegie building and added over 22,000 square feet with two stories for a total of 30,000 square feet of space on the existing site for this approximately $55 million project. Albina Library now ranks behind Central Library as the second largest public library in Portland and Multnomah County.
Celebrating Albina with the community
Albina Library is located in a historically Black neighborhood, having relocated to its historic Knott Street location in 2020. To recognize its role as a popular, beloved location, all of the updates are the result of extensive community and staff engagement with features for the community to enjoy. Gifts to The Library Foundation supported an interactive early learning space, a mobile creative learning lab, and a study space for teens at Albina Library.
To celebrate the opening of the updated, expanded Albina, the library is hosting two, fun-filled days of activities for the community on Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20. Beginning with a ribbon cutting at 9:30 am on Saturday, July 19, followed by a performance by Hip Hop Soulsation, flower origami and more, there will be plenty to do while exploring the new features of Albina Library. Patrons can stay up-to-date on the library website.
Advance press tour of Albina Library
**Due to the level of activity expected for the opening events, members of the media are invited to tour the renovation and expansion early on Wednesday, July 16 at 11 am. The press tour will meet outside the new main entrance at 205 NE Russell Street. At this time, the media can get photos of the completed building, comments about the new features and learn about the expansive space, public art and more at Albina. **
View of Albina Library from the new Russell Street entrance; rendering courtesy of LEVER Architecture
New features include:
- Outdoor courtyard for community members to relax and connect.
- A teen room with space for technology, homework and creative expression.
- A large early learning and play space for children and their families.
- A larger, more diverse collection.
- A sensory room for supporting patrons with diverse sensory needs.
- Five small community rooms for study, homework and small group meetings, and four larger rooms for larger group meetings, library programs and presentations.
- Updated wi-fi and technology, including more laptops, iPads and creative software for patron use.
- New Automated Materials Handling system, ensuring materials get to patrons much faster.
- Modern self checkout stations to provide a better patron experience.
- New art that represents the community in partnership with the Regional Arts and Culture Council, including:
- Sculptures from artist Greg Robinson along the Russell Street entrance and in the courtyard
- Suspended artwork in the Russell Street lobby from artists Joe and Carly Feddersen
- Outdoor courtyard mural from artist Daren Todd
- Community room mural from artist Amirah Chatman
- Artwork from the Portland Street Art Alliance including:
- Two pieces in the kids area from artists Julia Alexis Hunkler and Christian Tellez
- A Russell Street lobby mural from artist Jessilyn Brinkerhoff
- A teen room mural from artist Nicky Kriara, guided by a teen art workshop at Harriet Tubman Middle School
[7/15/25: Section updated to reflect correct number of small and large community rooms]
Centering the community
The historic Albina Library has been a vital center of the community, and specifically the Black community, for so long. To amplify the community’s ideas, the library worked with the design team to host focus groups, online public meetings, one-on-one meetings with community members and public surveys. We engaged over 3,500 people during more than 65 activities. Community members cast 1,261 votes for Albina’s interior color palette, with the winning theme being warm yellow tones inspired by Mount Hood.
Additionally, 27 teens across three cohorts took part in the Youth Opportunity Design Approach (YODA), a paid community program for teens. In sessions led by the project architects and youth librarians, teens who use Albina Library shared what will make them feel welcome and engaged.
Project teams held paid affinity focus groups with community members who are a part of Black and African American communities; Indigenous communities; immigrants and refugees; disability communities; and Latino communities.
Albina Library’s lobby area off Russell Street, with an entry to the new outdoor courtyard; rendering courtesy of LEVER Architecture
An outdoor courtyard inside the library
With the exciting expansion of Albina Library, it provides more space for community and connection. In the new addition, an open, welcoming double-height lobby provides the perfect entryway for patrons to head to the new outdoor courtyard, a feature that was influenced by community input. Comfortable seating and an engaging mural by Daren Todd, as well as a sculpture by artist Greg Robinson, allow patrons to connect with one another while also enjoying the outdoors in a secure place at the library.
Learning and playing in the kids area
Albina Library is continuing the commitment to early learning and development with a 4,300 square foot kids area for learning and play (to put that in perspective, that’s larger than a regulation-sized high school basketball court!). This area has unique furniture including colorful sculptures and benches developed by the Burgeon Group, the premier firm designing, building, and installing creative early learning spaces in public libraries. Featuring an interactive learning and play installation from the Burgeon Group, the expanded kids area is located in the historic Carnegie building, providing five times the space as before construction. The updated kids area will also have technology and seating for kids and their caregivers to learn and play side-by-side, all with new artwork from artists Julia Alexis Hunkler and Christian Tellez.
[6/25/25: Section has been updated at the request of the Burgeon Group]
A new teen space
Albina Library’s new 1,743 square foot teen space is a special addition. Guided by teen input, teens will have access to an area where they can study, play games using state-of-the-art video equipment on a 75” screen and just be in community with other teens. Teens have an opportunity to plug-in (or unplug!) in a new space complete with artwork from artist Nicky Kriara, which was guided by a teen art workshop.
A sensory space for all
Albina is also home to a sensory room for supporting patrons with diverse sensory needs. This room can be flexible in its use, from providing a calm, quiet area to a space for more focused activity. Albina's sensory space has a variety of lighting options as well as interactive furniture. It’s one more way that the library is providing welcoming spaces for the diverse needs of patrons.
Places for connection
With multiple community rooms available for patron use, people can connect much easier at Albina Library. Going from zero meeting rooms before construction to nine new community rooms with a total of about 4,900 square feet after construction, the library is excited to expand these places for connection. Whether through a community meeting, library event or just needing a quiet room for a one-on-one conversation, these spaces are for the public. And many of these community room spaces aren’t just for when the library is open. With after-hours meeting space available, community members can meet when it works for them. This includes a large community room on the first floor of the new addition, complete with sliding glass doors that open out onto the courtyard for another way to bring the outdoors inside at the library.
To increase connection, the technology team has equipped eight of the nine community rooms in Albina with audio/visual (A/V) materials:
- Five small community rooms
- Four large community rooms
With more A/V-equipped spaces, the building can accommodate advanced meeting needs and collaboration. Need to connect remotely for a job interview or host a presentation? Albina has you covered! All of the meeting rooms support state-of-the-art presentation and video conferencing when connected to a library-supplied laptop.
Additionally, these community rooms are even more accessible thanks to assistive listening systems (ALS) which amplify sounds from lectures, presentations, storytimes, and events, allowing hard-of-hearing patrons to fully engage with library programs and resources. Albina offers assistive listening systems via two different methods: a wireless system that allows patrons to use library provided receivers or their own smartphones and a portable offering which includes a microphone for the speaker and a listening device for the audience.
Albina is yet another library location to introduce Multnomah County’s new fiber network, providing increased internet speeds and bandwidth. The building boasts a strong wi-fi signal throughout.
The new, expanded kids area in the Carnegie building; rendering courtesy of LEVER Architecture
Artwork for all
As part of these building projects, each major location gains engaging new artwork. Some of these exciting art pieces are thanks to the Multnomah County Percent for Art Program which is led by the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC). RACC advocates for equity, inclusion and access within the arts and connects artists and creatives to opportunities throughout the region.
Starting at the new addition on Russell Street, local artist Greg A. Robinson has created a sequence of site-specific exterior sculptures which will greet library patrons, staff and visitors as they approach and enter the new building. One of Greg’s sculptures will also be located in the beautiful new courtyard. The sculpture series is inspired by the traditional Chinookan story about the first fishing nets. As an enrolled member of the Chinook Indian Nation, Greg’s work centers and uplifts the histories, experiences and stories of the Indigenous peoples who originally lived in the Greater Portland area. With very few Chinookan artists, and little information on the ancestral artform itself, Greg is committed to continuing to work in the traditional Chinookan style. Greg intentionally focuses on using long-lasting and durable materials in his practice, in order to address the challenges of preserving this vital cultural history and knowledge. More broadly, Greg uses his artwork as a tool for education, inclusion and inspiration. Known for working in a variety of materials, including wood, stone, glass, metal and cement, the sculptures for Albina Library add to a number of other public art installations Greg has created in the Pacific Northwest.
Regional artists Joe Feddersen and his niece, Carly Feddersen, are collaborating on a stunning series of suspended artworks for the lobby of the new Russell Street entrance. A traditional fish trap, clam basket and boat will create a sense of welcome and place as you enter the library. The three large vessels, representing the stories of animals, plants and people who have inhabited this region since time immemorial, will be centrally suspended from the south-side lobby ceiling. The artworks contain the colors of the rainbow, the earth, the sun and the sky, reminding us of our deep connections to one another, our ecosystem and environment. These colorful and ethereal cloud-like sculptures will be visually accessible from various vantage points as visitors, patrons and staff navigate the many services within the library. Both Joe and Carly’s art practices are inspired by, and deeply rooted in, the Northwest landscape from an Indigenous perspective. The artworks for Albina Library are a tribute to the fish and waterways which sustained and connected the people of the Plateau region and all those who belong to the traditional lands along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. Joe and Carly come from a long line of creative people and are enrolled members of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington State.
Daren Todd is a Portland-based muralist and multi-disciplinary artist whose artistic practice provides him creative outlets to explore, and express, his reflections on the world around him. Known for his vibrant, community-driven murals and illustrations, Daren’s art captures the interconnectedness of our human nature and emotions. His work fosters inclusivity and advocates for equality while also addressing other important social issues such as queer visibility, racial justice, and support for immigrant communities. For Albina Library, Daren is creating an exterior mural within the new ground floor courtyard, nestled between some of the new flex spaces for community use. The outdoor mural will be an abstract design inspired by the history and future of Albina Library, the Boise-Eliot neighborhood and the diverse communities served by the library. Specifically honoring the historic displacement of Black and Indigenous communities in the neighborhood, instilling a sense of hope and empowerment. Daren’s artwork aims to inspire dialogue, reflection, and a sense of belonging by meaningfully contributing to the local cultural landscape and uplifting communities through creativity and visual storytelling.
Amirah Chatman is an interdisciplinary artist based in the Pacific Northwest. A natural abstractionist, Amirah draws inspiration from the elements and celestial phenomena to create dynamic, otherworldly scenes. In the form of chalk pastel drawings, oil paintings, fiber sculptures, murals, and light installations, Amirah utilizes a variety of materials to bring a new dimension to life. For Albina Library, Amirah is creating an ethereal outdoor scene, bringing natural and celestial elements to the inside of one of the ground floor community rooms. Using a calming pastel color palette, Amirah’s artwork will create a warm, inviting and welcoming environment where imagination, interests and engagement can be inspired. Amirah seeks to create a dreamlike space where feelings of wonder, whimsy, magic and joy can be inspired, invited and explored by all who engage with the artwork. Honoring the history, and future, of Albina Library, specifically the Black and Indigenous communities displaced from the neighborhood through gentrification, Amirah aims to create a limitless environment where endless possibilities, ideas, dreams and creativity can flourish.
In the kids area, Shaped, a mural created by Julia Alexis Hunkler, delves into themes of imagination, wonder, and the shaping of future creators. Drawing inspiration from the symbolism of origami, Shaped celebrates the transformation of young minds, inviting viewers to reflect on the endless possibilities that unfold through discovery, play, and learning.
Also featured in the kids area is Christian Tellez’ Our Roots and Dreams. Through an abstract and geometric composition, the artwork reflects Albina’s rich legacy of cultural expression, artistic innovation, and enduring commitment to learning, growth, and collective empowerment.
Welcoming patrons in the Russell Street lobby is Albina Blooms, where artist Jessilyn Brinkerhoff created a bold, joyful mural celebrating cultural renewal and community heritage in Portland’s historic Albina neighborhood. Inspired by the rhythms of Jumptown and the shared greenspaces of Dawson Park, the piece features vibrant colors, native species, and the enduring presence of pine, dogwood, poplar, chestnut and sweetgum trees—sentinels of the community that have witnessed generations. Honoring the past while looking toward a thriving future, the mural invites viewers into a dynamic space of music, memory, and springlike renewal.
In Albina’s teen room, artist Nicky Kriara created a mural inspired by the rich history of jazz in Portland’s Albina neighborhood. In a design development workshop at Harriet Tubman Middle School, students explored sound and storytelling by designing their own album cover art. Their ideas helped shape Kriara’s final design, which reflects the spirit of improvisation and collaboration found in jazz, blended with the students’ vision for a space that feels calm, safe, inviting–and “full of good vibes.”
Albina LIbrary’s updated Carnegie building on Knott Street; rendering courtesy of LEVER Architecture
A resilient building
LEVER Architecture and Noll & Tam Architects led the design for Albina. Andersen Construction is the General Contractor. Albina Library is on track to be LEED Platinum certified, the highest level of energy efficiency awarded to buildings and a step above the County standard of LEED Gold. Albina reduced its impact on the environment by reusing much of the existing building structure and facades. The building also boasts a seismic upgrade, highly efficient new mechanical and plumbing systems, as well as low-emitting materials which contribute to improved indoor air quality. In addition, approximately 197 photovoltaic panels on the building rooftop convert sunlight into electricity, delivering an estimated 89,788 kWh per year. An ecoroof, which is visible from the reading room, features many different plant species and helps to manage rainwater.
[7/10/25: Section updated to represent correct estimated yearly kwh information]
Multnomah County Library is excited to present this larger, transformed Albina Library to the community.
Renderings of Albina Library are courtesy of LEVER Architecture and can be downloaded via Dropbox.
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About Multnomah County Library
A treasured community institution since 1864, Multnomah County Library is one of the nation’s busiest public library systems, providing social, educational and cultural programs, resources and services, online and through its 19 public locations. With an eye toward the future of community-centered spaces, the library is working to build, rebuild or expand nine libraries through a voter approved capital bond. In addition to being Oregon’s largest provider of free internet access, the library offers millions of print and digital resources, in multiple languages for people of all ages. From kindergarten readiness to job training, computer-assisted design and 3D printing, the library supports all people in their pursuits to connect, learn and create. Learn more at multcolib.org
For media inquiries related to the Regional Arts and Culture Council, please contact comms@racc.org