New Holgate library location opens to great fanfare in Southeast Portland

Hundreds of people gathered in Southeast Portland on Saturday for the opening of the Holgate Library, the first of several new and refurbished library locations across Multnomah County.

Located in the Foster-Powell neighborhood, Holgate is the first new building to be completed after voters approved a November 2020 capital bond measure. That bond focused on revamping much of the county’s dated library infrastructure.

Multnomah County plans to construct eight new or expanded library locations, while all 19 locations will receive updates of some kind. Central Library in Downtown Portland reopened in February following a yearlong upgrade.

The county demolished the old Holgate building in 2023, completely rebuilding the location from scratch at a cost of $27 million.

Some of the standout features in the new library include a dedicated Teen Room — the first of its kind for Multnomah County Libraries — along with an outdoor plaza, an interactive children’s room and a spacious second floor.

“This building was designed through extensive community engagement,” said Annie Lewis, interim director of Multnomah County Libraries.

The next library to be completed will be the Midland location on Southeast 122nd Avenue and will occur some time this fall, Lewis said.

Related: Downtown Portland’s Central Library reopens with decor, tech and restroom upgrades

A large crowd of people gathered inside to see all of the new features and, of course, check out some reading materials. Within minutes, many had their arms stretched around large stacks of books, waiting patiently in the checkout line.

Caitlin Collings and her child Emile walked out with a collection of Minecraft books. Emile said they were impressed with the library’s new look, and had missed walking to a library in their own neighborhood while it was under construction. The other nearest library location is in Woodstock.

“We were really excited for it to come back up, because we had to go to Woodstock before,” they said. “It was really nice to finally be able to just walk here.”

Ten-year-old Wylder Nance, meanwhile, was on the hunt for graphic novels. He’s a regular volunteer at the library and said he was excited by the future of his neighborhood’s new library.

Related: The renovated Central branch of the Multnomah County Library serves a range of needs

Nance’s mother, Sara Carmona, said the library has played an important role in the 20 years her family has lived in the Foster-Powell neighborhood, and their excited

“It’s a place where I can go where I know their questions are going to be answered, where they’re going to be listened to,” Carmona said. “It’s a wonderful place for both their personal development.”