Multnomah County will open an interim library in mid-March in the St. Johns town center during the 18-month closure of the St. Johns Library. Library Director Annie Lewis announced to St. Johns Neighborhood Association chair, RJ DeMello, that she will release the specific location of the interim facility upon signing the property lease.
The decision marks a major reversal by the county. After closing the St. Johns Branch at 7510 N. Charleston Ave. for an 18-month renovation, library leaders resisted community pressure for months to create a temporary library. The North Peninsula Review reported in late October 2024, that the county was spending $9,000 per month to lease an interim library space for the Belmont branch in SE Portland. At that time, library leaders said no funds had been allocated for a temporary location in St. Johns.
The St. Johns temporary library will be open seven days a week with WiFi, wireless printing, photo copying, holds-pick up, 24/7 book returns, Lucky Day book promotions, and a children’s book collection. Director Lewis said that the Mobile Library truck service will continue at the intersection of N. Central St. and N. Charleston Ave. near the current closed St. Johns Library. The schedule will be released soon.
Announcement of the St. Johns interim library comes amid the surprise announcement in late January that the Kenton branch will close in mid-February for a six-month renovation. The Albina Library is also closed for renovations leaving three of the four North Portland libraries closed at the same time. The recent reopening of the North Portland branch at 510 N. Killingsworth Ave. will partly fill the void for local library users.
County and local elected officials reopened the North Portland branch in a Feb. 8 ceremony. The remodel increases the size of the century-old Carnegie library by 1,500 square feet. It includes a Black Cultural Center celebrating African American heritage, updated WiFi, more laptops, iPads and equipment for patrons, an early learning center for children, as well as original artwork.
Photo courtesy of Mult. Co. Library.
at the reopening of the North Portland branch. Photo by Tom Karwaki.
Photo by Mark Kirchmeier.
