Years in the making, North Powder’s new library opens to the public, April 25
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, April 17th, 2026 in Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
NORTH POWDER – For much of their history in the U.S., local libraries have served as far more than just book repositories, especially in rural areas. From the iconic brick Carnegie buildings to slick modern designs, these public institutions offer a wide variety of useful services for smaller towns, often serving as community hubs and learning centers, in addition to providing easy access to literature. Now, over three years and a million dollars in the making, the City of North Powder is continuing that tradition and is ready to welcome the community to their brand-new public library.
For those unfamiliar with the project, North Powder began exploring the possibility of a new library in early 2023. Initial ideas, shared with the public around March of that year, involved repurposing part of the city hall building to fit a new library space, with a partial add-on to the structure. The project would eventually be funded by a 1.2-million-dollar federal community development block grant, along with a slew of other grants from local organizations.
On October 3, 2024, a near-final design for the library was unveiled to the public. By then, the project had evolved into a full new-build that, while connected to the city hall structure, would ultimately be built as a unique, standalone library. In spring 2025, the city began accepting bids. On May 15, 2025, the city officially hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the new library. By February 2026, North Powder reported the library project was nearly complete and that a new librarian was being sought.
The plan would undergo some alterations during its development, partially due to budget. According to North Powder Mayor John Frieboes, due to the old city hall building lacking needed seismic upgrades (which were not covered by the federal grant), some changes had to be made to the new structure, namely dropping the originally planned use of the city hall building bays, but the project still largely kept to the original vision.
Now, the North Powder community will have access to a brand new, 2,000 square foot library, with Director of Library Services Midge Clause serving as the city’s new librarian. According to Mayor Frieboes, the city council and staff are beyond excited about the building opening to the public, remarking, “Everybody is very excited. From what we had before, this is such an upgrade, very open. It’s just a very nice space.”
For everyone excited to finally visit the building for themselves, the wait is almost over. The library will officially open its doors to the public during an open house event on Saturday, April 25. The open house will run from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and include refreshments and door prize drawings for attendees. These prizes include large, framed photos, and various certificates.
Reflecting on the incredible effort that went into the project, the city gave thanks to various contributors in a recent announcement, writing:
“The new library building represents a significant investment in the future of North Powder and was made possible through a Federal Block Grant, along with generous contributions and support from The Wildhorse Foundation, The Ford Family Foundation, The Oregon Community Foundation, The Buerkel Zolner Foundation, The RoundHouse Foundation, Libraries of Union County, and the dedicated support of the North Powder community, among many others.”
Again, the open house runs from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday, April 2, 2026. The new library is located at 340 E Street, North Powder.
(Photos provided by Midge Clause)
