PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – After shutting down for renovations in 2023, the North Portland Library is set to reopen with two days of festivities to celebrate the "larger, modern library," Multnomah County Library announced Monday.
The North Portland Library, along North Killingsworth Street, will reopen on Feb. 8 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, cultural events, and food, officials said.
The $13 million renovation expanded the library and updated the historic Carnegie building -- adding 1,500 square feet for a total of 10,200 square feet of space on the existing site.
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New features at the library include a Black Cultural Center with an event space, an early learning and play space for children, a community room for meetings and library programs, more iPads and laptops for patrons, self-checkout stations, and an outdoor deck.
In their grand opening announcement, Multnomah County Library said the space has been home to Portland’s Black community and wanted the renovation to reflect the area's diversity.
“North Portland’s Black Cultural Center is extra special: not only is it guided by community input, but it’s the first space of its kind in the entire Multnomah County Library system,” Multnomah County Library said.
To honor the community, library officials said the interior color scheme features deep blue colors inspired by afrofuturism and artwork -- including glass panels in the Black Cultural Center based on a painting by Sadé DuBoise featuring Ghanaian Adinkra symbols, along with wood carvings by Melanie Stevens, showcasing Black afrofuturist authors including, Sun Ra; W.E.B. Du Bois; Octavia Butler; and Zora Neale Hurston.
To celebrate the grand opening the North Portland Library is hosting two days of community activities on Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9.
The events include a performance by the Jefferson Dancers and food from local Black-owned businesses.
The renovation was part of a November 2020 capital bond for Multnomah County Library to transform library spaces.
