Hillsboro Public Library

The first library in Hillsboro opened on December 9, 1914, when the Carnegie City Library was dedicated.Engen, Edna. Culture, knowledge brought to community by new library. The Hillsboro Argus, October 19, 1976. p. 15. This was one of 2,500 plus libraries built by money donated by Andrew Carnegie around the world, and the only public one in Washington County, Oregon (the Carnegie Library at Pacific University was a private, academic library).Did you know? Libraries. The Oregonian, September 20, 2007. The land at Northeast Second and Lincoln Streets where the library was built was donated to the city.[http://www.hillsboro.plinkit.org/about-us/our-libraries/hillsboro-s-original-carnegie-library.html/ Hillsboro's Carnegie Library.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013054741/http://www.hillsboro.plinkit.org/about-us/our-libraries/hillsboro-s-original-carnegie-library.html/ |date=2008-10-13 }} Hillsboro Public Library. Retrieved February 4, 2008.{{cite web|url=http://hcap.artstor.org/cgi-bin/library?a=d&d=p1312|title=Carnegie Hall|date=November 2006|publisher=The Council of Independent Colleges|access-date=2008-10-11|archive-date=2011-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725192726/http://hcap.artstor.org/cgi-bin/library?a=d&d=p1312|url-status=live}} Designed by architect Ernest Kroner, the $10,000 building was constructed by the firm Book & Engeldinger.

In 1925, the library had a circulation 19,445 and a total of 4,855 volumes.{{cite news|title=Records show book increase|date=October 19, 1976|work=The Hillsboro Argus|page=15}} Total fines charged that year were $92.28, while expenses totaled about $250 for the year to maintain the grounds, pay for heating, and pay for water and electricity. The Friends of the Library group was started on February 6, 1968.{{cite news|title=Life Styles: Friends of Library offer helping hand|last=Bartrop|first=Toice|date=October 19, 1976|work=Hillsboro Argus|page=16}} In May 1971, this group began campaigning for a new library building, including paying some of the early costs for designs, with voters later approving a bond measure to pay for the new facility. On January 21, 1975, a new library opened to replace the Carnegie building, located at Shute Park. The new building was designed by Martin, Soderstrom & Matteson. Circulation at the library totaled about 130,000 in 1975 with around 40,000 books. The year after the Shute Park location opened a library was opened in the Tanasbourne area on the east side of Hillsboro. In 1990, the city took over those operations, moving it in 1996 from the former Tanasbourne Mall location.{{cite web|title=The Hillsboro Public Library at Tanasbourne|publisher=City of Hillsboro|url=http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/Library/tanasbourne.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070305171808/http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/library/tanasbourne.aspx |archive-date=March 5, 2007|access-date=July 17, 2012}}

File:Former public library (ex-Carnegie library) in Hillsboro, Oregon in 2023.jpg

In 1998, a Books-by-Rail branch was opened at the Hillsboro Central MAX Light Rail station in a {{convert|168|sqft|m2|adj=on}} space.Fentress, Aaron. Books by light rail. The Oregonian, September 24, 1998. Two times in 2002 and again in 2004, the city had property tax levies on the ballot to build a new $25 million library.Bermudez, Esmeralda. Bookish applaud library deal. The Oregonian, September 1, 2005. Plans called for building a {{convert|60000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} building on Cornell Road at 206th (now John Olsen Avenue) in the Tanasbourne area to replace the Tanasbourne branch.Stranzl, Justin. Hillsboro hosts final library proposal open house. Daily Journal of Commerce, July 8, 2004. The levies to build the new library and remodel the Shute Park location failed. The first measure in 2002 received majority support at the voting booth, but lost due to low voter turnout and the state's double-majority law.Turner, Anne M. Balloting Backs Growth; Local support for libraries slows but remains firm, as 60 percent of building measures are upheld despite tight races Library Journal, March 15, 2003.

The library closed the Books by Rail branch in 2003 due to a reduced budget.Anderson, David R. Hillsboro libraries cutting back hours, more. The Oregonian, January 29, 2003. Hillsboro cut their library funding by $350,000 that year.Recession, 2003: more cutbacks and closures; News Fronts; libraries suffer throughout the United States due to reduced public funds. American Libraries, August 1, 2003. In 2005, the city decided on an alternate plan of buying an existing building and renovating it at a total cost of $13 million, with $1 million of the funds coming from private donations.

The city purchased a two-story, {{convert|77000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} office building on Northeast Brookwood Parkway near the Hillsboro Airport for $6.8 million in September 2005. With the opening of the new location in a more central area of Hillsboro, the Tanasbourne location was closed with its inventory moved to the new library. The new library location opened in May 2007 after the building was renovated, but originally only occupied the first floor. In June 2013, the second floor opened to add {{convert|38000|ft2|m2}} of space and an art gallery to the library.{{cite news|last=Theen|first=Andrew|title=Hillsboro library leaders expect crowd of thousands to celebrate expansion of Main branch|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2013/05/hillsboro_library_leaders_expe.html|access-date=12 March 2014|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=May 29, 2013|archive-date=12 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312212445/http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2013/05/hillsboro_library_leaders_expe.html|url-status=live}} The Shute Park location was closed in 2013 for renovations, and re-opened in March 2014 with the entrance moved to the west end of the building.{{cite news|last=Myers|first=Theresa|title=Shute Park branch library in Hillsboro reopens Saturday: What you need to know|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2014/03/shute_park_branch_library_in_h.html|access-date=12 March 2014|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=March 11, 2014|archive-date=12 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312225944/http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2014/03/shute_park_branch_library_in_h.html|url-status=live}} A 3D printer was added to the Shute Park branch in December 2014.{{cite news|last1=Fuller|first1=Kathy|title=Carving into the world of 3-D|url=http://portlandtribune.com/ht/117-hillsboro-tribune-news/243371-110154-carving-into-the-world-of-3-d|access-date=18 December 2014|work=Hillsboro Tribune|date=December 10, 2014|archive-date=22 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222221335/http://portlandtribune.com/ht/117-hillsboro-tribune-news/243371-110154-carving-into-the-world-of-3-d|url-status=dead}} The library added an automated kiosk, the Book-O-Mat, at the Hillsboro Civic Center in November 2015.{{cite news|title=Book-O-Mat, Hillsboro Public Library's automated book kiosk, to debut at Civic Center Plaza|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2015/11/book-o-mat_hillsboro_public_li.html|access-date=8 December 2015|work=The Oregonian|date=November 30, 2015|archive-date=10 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210191830/http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2015/11/book-o-mat_hillsboro_public_li.html|url-status=live}}

File:Shute Park Library.JPG

The Hillsboro Brookwood Library is housed in a two-story, city owned building encompassing {{convert|76000|sqft|m2}}.Bermudez, Esmeralda. Get a peek at future site of library at open house. The Oregonian, April 20, 2006. Formerly called the Main Library,Gregory, Roger. [http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/05/new_hillsboro_library_opens_it.html New Hillsboro library opens its doors today.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211175312/http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/05/new_hillsboro_library_opens_it.html |date=2012-02-11 }} The Oregonian, May 20, 2007. the library's collection includes more than 300,000 items.{{cite web|title=About the library|url=http://www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/departments/library/about-the-library|publisher=Hillsboro Public Library|access-date=January 9, 2017|archive-date=January 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110162127/http://www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/departments/library/about-the-library|url-status=live}} Story readings at the Brookwood Library are given in a variety of languages including Mandarin, Japanese, Bengali, and Spanish.Suh, Elizabeth. Residents flock to new main library east of Hillsboro airport. The Oregonian, September 20, 2007. Part of the second floor houses an art gallery featuring local artists.{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Taylor|title=Hillsboro Main Library expansion includes art gallery on second floor|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2013/05/hillsboro_main_library_expansi.html|access-date=12 March 2014|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=May 30, 2013|archive-date=12 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312212226/http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2013/05/hillsboro_main_library_expansi.html|url-status=live}} This library includes a privately owned coffee shop with leased space in the building.Rostami, Marjon. Library's coffee court hoping sales percolate. The Oregonian, July 12, 2007. There are approximately 300 parking spaces at the site.Bermudez, Esmeralda. New city library to open in mid-May. The Oregonian, April 12, 2007. The Brookwood Library also houses the collection of the Hillsboro Independent and The Hillsboro Argus newspapers, dating back to 1887.[http://www.hillsboro.plinkit.org/technology/equipment.html Hillsboro Public Library - Equipment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720115727/http://www.hillsboro.plinkit.org/technology/equipment.html/ |date=2008-07-20 }} Hillsboro Public Library. Retrieved on August 1, 2009.

Opened in 1975, the Shute Park Library is the oldest of the two libraries in the system. The building was designed by Will Martin and cost $760,000 to build. With {{convert|15000|sqft|m2}}, it is also the smaller of the two locations. The building is triangular in shape, with the north facing wall all glass. Since being expanded in 2013–2014, Shute Park houses over 57,000 litems, ranging from books and videos to audio materials and periodicals. It contains 140 seats and 31 computer terminals.[http://www.hillsboro.plinkit.org/about-us/our-libraries/shute-park-branch.html Shute Park Branch.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824093320/http://www.hillsboro.plinkit.org/about-us/our-libraries/shute-park-branch.html |date=August 24, 2007 }} Hillsboro Public Library. Retrieved February 4, 2008.

File:Hillsboro Public Library back entrance sunny.JPG

As of 2016, the library system had a service area population of approximately 140,000 residents.Bermudez, Esmeralda. Hillsboro looks at options for new library. The Oregonian, April 14, 2005.

For 2015 to 2016, combined the library has over 329,000 items in its collections and a circulation of over 2.85 million. Expenditures for the library total $9.5 million.[https://www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=9925 Adopted Budget, 2016-17] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821014757/https://www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=9925 |date=2016-08-21 }}, City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on August 11, 2016. Between the two branches there are 55 staff members including librarians. Hillsboro Public Library has 63,747 library card holders, and is part of Washington County Cooperative Library Services. Total visits were 921,000. The library is the third largest in Oregon by population served.

{{reflist|2}}

{{Portal|Oregon}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://libraryfoundationhillsboro.org/ The Library Foundation of Hillsboro]
• [http://www.hillsborolibraryfriends.org/ Friends of the Hillsboro Public Library]
• [http://www.wccls.org/your_libraries/detail.cfm?lc=HPLM Hillsboro Main Library]

{{Washington County Cooperative Library Services}}

{{Hillsboro Oregon}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Library buildings completed in 1914

Category:1914 establishments in Oregon

Category:Buildings and structures in Hillsboro, Oregon

Category:Carnegie libraries in Oregon

Category:Culture of Hillsboro, Oregon

Category:Washington County Cooperative Library Services

Category:Tourist attractions in Hillsboro, Oregon

Category:Libraries established in 1914