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Located in North Portland in a historically Black neighborhood, Albina Library has been a beloved part of the community.

Portland’s historic Central Library in downtown first opened in September 1913. The original architects were Doyle, Patterson & Beach. Notable features throughout the library include; the bronze tree in the Children’s Library by Dana Lynn Louis and Barbara Eisworth, the black granite grand staircase and the massive light fixture in the second floor by Larry Kirkland, and the John Wilson room.

The first Gregory Heights library opened its doors as a reading room in the 1930s. The current library, renovated in 1998-99, has been serving Northeast Portland in its current location since 1966.

Built in 1990 and renovated in 1998, today's Gresham Library replaced a small brick building that had become far too small for Oregon's fourth largest city.

The library serves residents of Gresham, Troutdale, Wood Village, Fairview, Corbett and other East County communities. The original architect was SERA Architects P.C.

Originally opened in 1972, Capitol Hill Library serves the Southwest Portland community. The building is 6,060 square feet, and the original architects were Allen, McMath and Hawkins, A.I.A. More recently, Capitol Hill Library received refresh updates, including fresh paint, new seating and updated technology.

Add summaryHolgate Library opened in its current location in 1971, replacing the Arleta and Lents branch libraries, which had been serving this region of Southeast Portland since the early 1900s. The library was renovated in 2000. In 2020, Multnomah County voters approved a capitol bond project to build and modernize library buildings. Holgate Library is being rebuilt on its current site. The new Holgate Library will reopen in 2024.

Hollywood Library has been serving its Northeast Portland community since 1917, although not always called by the same name nor located in the same spot.

Though not officially named “Hillsdale” until the 1980s, the Southwest Portland neighborhood library had been serving residents in the area for decades prior. The current building holds LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification, with some of the materials coming from local manufacturers. The building was designed by Thomas Hacker and Associates Architects, Inc.

Rockwood Library has been serving east Multnomah County since its construction in 1963. The original library building was 5,724 square feet. In 1999, the building was renovated and expanded to 6,435 square feet. The original architects were Stewart, Richardson, Allen and McMath.

Northwest Library opened in 2001 in a 5,000 square foot space in a historic Northwest Portland building that was previously home to a pharmacy, a potter's workshop, a winery and café. Thanks to the 2020 voter approved library bond, the Multnomah County Library Capital Bond Program purchased a new, permanent site in Northwest Portland for a larger Northwest Library. The library will relocate once renovations are complete.

The Kenton Library building, originally Cyril S. Kenyon Hardware, was constructed in 1951. The library leased the 6,000 sq ft space and began to serve the North Portland neighborhood in March 2010.

Library services in the neighborhood date back to at least 1903, with a deposit station. St. Johns Library opened at its current library location in 1914. The building was designed by architects Folger Johnson and Donald Mayer. St. Johns Library is one of the remaining Carnegie libraries in Oregon.

Sellwood-Moreland Library began as a reading room in 1905. In 2002, after several relocations, this Southeast Portland library found its new home in a mixed-use facility.

North Portland Library began as the North Albina Reading Room in 1909. The Jacobethan-style library was built in 1913 and renovated in 1999. The original architect was Joseph Jacobberger and Alfred H. Smith Architects.

The 6,000 square foot Troutdale Library building is located in the Cherry Park Market Center. The library opened in 2010 and was constructed with Forest Stewardship Council-certified Douglas fir ceiling and wall panels. It has eco-friendly paint, carpet and furniture, and other sustainable features.

The current Woodstock Library building of 7,500 sq. ft. opened in 2000, replacing a smaller library on the same site. The library building received numerous awards for its elegant and functional design, including a national honor from the American Institute of Architects and the American Library Association.

Since it opened in 1958, Midland Library has been one of the busiest libraries in Multnomah County. To meet the demand, the building underwent several renovations to expand its space.