Gresham Library

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title: "Gresham Library" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1989-establishments-in-oregon", "buildings-and-structures-in-gresham,-oregon", "library-buildings-completed-in-1989", "multnomah-county-library"] description: "Library in Oregon" topic_path: "general/1989-establishments-in-oregon" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gresham_Library" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Library in Oregon ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox building"]

Field	Value
name	Gresham Library
image	Gresham Library.jpg
caption	East and north exterior in 2012
map_type	USA Oregon Gresham
owner	Multnomah County Library
location	Gresham, Oregon
location_country	United States
coordinates
opened_date	January 9, 1990
floor_area	20000 ft2
architecture_firm	SERA Architects
main_contractor	Todd Construction
ren_architect	Thomas Hacker and Associates
ren_firm	Andersen Construction Company
website	Gresham Library
::

| name = Gresham Library | native_name = | native_name_lang = | former_names = | alternate_names = | status = | image = Gresham Library.jpg | image_alt = | image_size = | caption = East and north exterior in 2012 | map_type = USA Oregon Gresham | map_alt = | map_caption = | altitude = | building_type = | architectural_style = | structural_system = | cost = | ren_cost = | client = | owner = Multnomah County Library | current_tenants = | landlord = | location = Gresham, Oregon | address = | location_town = | location_country = United States | coordinates = | groundbreaking_date = | start_date = | completion_date = | opened_date = January 9, 1990 | inauguration_date = | renovation_date = | height = | other_dimensions = | floor_count = | floor_area = 20000 ft2 | seating_type = | seating_capacity = | architect = | architecture_firm = SERA Architects | structural_engineer = | services_engineer = | civil_engineer = | other_designers = | quantity_surveyor = | main_contractor = Todd Construction | awards = | designations = | ren_architect = Thomas Hacker and Associates | ren_firm = Andersen Construction Company | ren_str_engineer = | ren_serv_engineer = | ren_civ_engineer = | ren_oth_designers = | ren_qty_surveyor = | ren_awards = | website = Gresham Library | references = The Gresham Library, also known as the Gresham Regional Library, is a branch of the Multnomah County Library in Gresham in the U.S. state of Oregon. The branch offers the Multnomah County Library catalog of two million books, periodicals and other materials.

History

The building occupied by the library was constructed in 1989 and opened in January 1990. It replaced a 1913 Tudor style building at 410 N. Main Street, which had been a Carnegie library.{{cite news|title= Historical Society Makes Offer on Gresham Library|work=The Oregonian |date=June 6, 1989|first=Nelson|last=Pickett}} The new building was paid for by a $2.1 million fund-raising campaign designed in part by then-Governor Neil Goldschmidt, including $1.7 million serial levy approved by Multnomah County voters in 1987 and a projected $200,000 from the sale of the original building.{{cite news|title= Gresham Library Will Be a 'Superbranch'|work=The Oregonian|date=September 28, 1989 |first=Web|last=Ruble}} Following the levy, three attempts to buy suitable property that could be developed within the $1.7 million approved had failed by mid-1988, leading to the consideration of several more expensive options.{{cite news|title= Five Locations Considered for New Gresham Library|work=Oregonian|date=June 30, 1988|first=Nelson |last=Pickett}}

The new building is 13 times the size of the original library, and was designed as a "superbranch" to "usher in a new era in library services in both Gresham and the entire county system." Upgrades included a computer lab/media center, a community room, a teen study area, a children's room, a conference room, skylights, and a tower to help it blend in with the surrounding shopping center.

With space for 75,000 volumes, the 20000 ft2 library building was designed as the Multnomah County system's second-largest, behind Portland's Central Library. The original library building was purchased by the Gresham Historical Society, which turned it into a museum as well as housing its main headquarters there.

References

References

1. "Gresham Library". [[Multnomah County Library]].
2. Ruble, Web. (January 8, 1990). "Boy, 8, Earns Spotlight at Library Dedication". The Oregonian.

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