‘Renewed’ Midland Library delights patrons

INCLUDES VIDEO TOUR | If you missed the grand reopening of this storied outer East Portland library, and haven’t yet visited it, see all that’s in store for you at this completely transformed facility …

-1 At last! Outer East Portland’s Midland Library, located in the Mill Park neighborhood along SE 122nd Avenue, is again open to the public.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

After being closed for a couple of years, Multnomah County’s renovated Midland Library, expanded from 24,400 square feet to 30,000 square feet on the same site, reopened on October 26, to the delight of a sizable crowd.

Many folks attending the opening ceremony found refuge from the rain under the deep overhang covering the sidewalk in front of the library.

A steady downpour of cold, wind-blown rain didn’t stop scores of people from attending the opening ceremony that Saturday morning.

Many huddled under the temporary canopy set up in front of the building as the Master of Ceremonies, Deputy Director for Multnomah County Library Capital Building Projects Katie O’Dell, welcomed everyone to the gathering.

Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson reminisces about using this library when her family lived in the outer East Portland area, before moving to the West Side. “This is just a wonderful resource; I’m sure all will enjoy it,” she said.

Multnomah County Julia Brim-Edwards Commissioner, District 3 tells the gathering, “Outer East Portland deserves facilities like every other part of the city. The community is very much part of the design”.

Describing several of the new amenities in the renewed facility, it’s Multnomah County Libraries Director of Libraries Annie Lewis.

Before the program began, Annie Lewis, Director of Libraries for Multnomah County Libraries, told East Portland News, “Today is an exciting day, because we’re celebrating the grand opening and ribbon cutting for Midland Library.

“This library is incredibly important,” asserted Lewis. “This one is one of the busiest in our system; it’s a very well utilized library, providing internet access, reading materials – and many programs and events for this diverse community!”

See the ceremonial ribbon being cut; and, take a tour of outer East Portland’s fantastically renewed library:

The final speaker, Community Design Advocate Jay Tang, said that the library “celebrates life-long learning. Thank you for believing in the power of knowledge; and for helping build a more effective and informed community.”

With a snip of gigantic ceremonial scissors, the Midland Library is officially opened.

Inside the Midland Library foyer, Good-Luck Lions and Traditional Dragon Dancer performers from the The White Lotus Foundation prance to the thunderous beat of ceremonial drums.

New features and amenities of Midland Library include:

Outdoor interactive children’s garden
Large play and learning space for children and families
Teen room
Updated technology and internet
Outdoor plaza
Automated Materials Handling
Modern self checkout stations
Multiple, flexible community rooms.
An interior Gathering Circle and exterior Conversation Circle

New art that represents the community, including:

Exterior entryway canopy
Gathering Circle mural
Three sculptures along the entry plaza

Visitors inspect the spacious and inviting “Gathering Circle” – one of the new areas in the library.

In the enlarged Children’s Area, the Millot family settles down with a good book to share.

One of the dozens of activities provided on opening weekend is “Forest Origami” with Yuki Martin.

Colloqate Design was the design architect for Midland, and the firm also led community engagement; while Bora Architecture & Interior, the architect of record, informed Library Building Projects Communications Manager Liz Sauer. She added that Swinerton was the General Contractor.

“Midland Library is on track to be LEED Gold certified, one of the highest levels of energy efficiency awarded to buildings, and a County standard,” Sauer told us. “Midland Library reduced its impact by reusing a lot of the existing building structure and facades,” Sauer said of the about $31 million project.

Kids love Clownin’ Around Story Time with Nikki Brown Clown.

It’s Bach to Rock-n-Roll Accordions with Maria and Sergei Telesheva.

“Allow me to add that 2,866 people visited Midland during opening weekend (October 26-27). Since opening, daily visits to Midland are up 25% compared with the same dates from before construction in 2022,” Sauer commented, after the event.

Hundreds of folks crowd into Midland Library on its reopening weekend.

Midland Library is located at 805 SE 122nd Avenue, 97233. To see their webpage, CLICK HERE.

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