Library Site Reuse Task Force
Purpose of the Task Force
The Library Site Reuse Task Force will bring localized and broad-based community knowledge to the City Council. The Task Force will assist Council in developing and analyzing reuse scenarios for the existing site after the library is relocated, ultimately delivering a final reuse recommendation.
The Library Site Reuse Task Force will be charged with:
- Using criteria set by Council to develop reuse scenarios for the existing site.
- Selecting and analyzing the top three scenarios.
- Presenting the analysis of those top three scenarios to Council.
- Fine-tuning and analyzing Council’s top two choices based on Council feedback.
- Returning to Council with a final, formal reuse recommendation.
Task Force Eligibility and Membership
The Library Site Reuse Task Force is an ad hoc (temporary) group, selected by the Mayor and appointed by the City Council. The Task Force’s membership shall consist of not more than 20 community members, and shall include at least one representative from:
- The First Addition Forest Hills Neighborhood Association
- The Evergreen Neighborhood Association
- The Old Town Neighborhood Association
- The downtown Lake Oswego business community
- The City Council
- The City’s Library Advisory Board
- The City’s DEI Advisory Board
- The City’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Advisory Board
- The City’s Planning Commission
- The City’s youth engagement network
- The Adult Community Center’s user group
- Additional at-large community members
Timeline and Meeting Information
The Library Site Reuse Task Force will meet approximately 6 times in-person from August 2026 to April 2027 to review and provide feedback on work products. This schedule is subject to change, with notice provided. Meeting details will be posted in the "Upcoming Events" panel on this page.
Get Involved
The application period closed July 3, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Applicants will be selected and notified by end of July 2026.
History
The building condition, site constraints, and community feedback - including the 2023 Library visioning process and 2025 Community Survey - have informed the 2026 City Council goal to "Develop a strategy for an expanded and modern library facility, prioritizing the West side of town and urban renewal funding options, allowing it to serve as an all-ages and all-activities community center.” Learn more about the planning, community input, and background.
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The existing library facility has reached the end of its useful life, facing significant and worsening seismic, water intrusion, building system and accessibility deficiencies. These conditions constrain safe, reliable, and equitable service delivery. Because these challenges will continue to escalate over time and service demand exceeds what the current site can sustain, the City is beginning the process to explore a new library site that can fully meet our community's future needs.
Melissa Kelly, Library Director
Lake Oswego Public Library
706 Fourth Street
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Phone: 503-697-6584
Email: libraryvisioning@lakeoswego.city