Answers About Our Current and Future Library from City Leaders
What we learned about the vision, funding, timeline, and decisions ahead.
Mayor Joe Buck invited me to meet with him, Councilor Trudy Corrigan, and Library Director Melissa Kelly to discuss questions I raised in my blog post, Questions About Our Library.
Old Town Neighborhood Association Vice Chair Jim Perris joined me for the conversation on Wednesday morning. Jim is a retired CFO and COO.
We came away with more answers, a clearer picture of the City's vision, and a better understanding of the process ahead. We also identified questions that deserve more discussion before taxpayers are asked to support a major investment.
A note about this post
This post brings together my personal thoughts and perspectives, ideas shared by others about the libraries of the future, information from my conversation with Mayor Joe Buck, Councilor Trudy Corrigan, and Library Director Melissa Kelly, and graphics generated by AI using my own prompts and ideas.
To help ensure accuracy, I shared a draft with all three City leaders and made revisions based on their feedback.
Mayor Buck made an important distinction that I want to preserve:
“You have good ideas but these are not official timelines, data or reflective of broad community input. We just need to be careful not to blur the line between factual information we're providing as city council members and then AI generated content informed by your own words and other perspectives.”
I appreciate this clarification. The graphics are intended to illustrate possibilities and ideas for discussion—not to represent official City plans, approved timelines, confirmed funding, or the results of broad community outreach.
I have revised the post accordingly. We all want residents to have accurate information as Lake Oswego considers the future of its library.
Here’s what I learned:
1. Before we make a major investment, shouldn't we understand our needs, evaluate alternatives, and compare the full costs?
Yes. Mayor Buck emphasized that the City has been discussing the budget at its meetings. We talked about the vision for library services, and getting a clear understanding of the facilities and funding needed to deliver them.
My hope is that the Future Library Task Force will build on that work by exploring different options, clearly explaining the costs and trade-offs, and helping the community understand what we would gain from each level of investment. I think we were all in agreement about doing this.
2. How might a new library hub be funded?
Councilor Corrigan described how Lake Oswego funded the successful Boones Ferry Road improvements using Tax Increment Financing (TIF), a Department of Transportation grant, and a $5 million municipal bond.
She explained that the City hopes to explore a similar approach for a new library hub. But the amount of the bond needed has not yet been determined.
Here's my understanding of the potential funding sources discussed:
TIF and urban renewal: Funds associated with growth in a designated urban renewal area may help pay for eligible improvements, subject to the district's plan, available funds, and legal requirements. Mayor Buck clarified, “Urban renewal is a concept that uses tax increment financing to pay for improvements. These terms are rather synonymous and belong in one bucket: urban renewal/tax increment financing.”
A possible bond: A bond in roughly two to three years may be part of the plan. A bond allows the City to borrow money now and repay it over time. Voter approval and the details of the proposal would be essential.
Library reserves and Friends of the Library: Existing library funds and contributions may help support the project, depending on the amount available and how the funds can be used.
Private donations and grants: Major gifts, foundations, and government grants could provide additional support.
These are potential funding sources, not a guarantee that all the money will be available. The total project cost, funding commitments, restrictions, and taxpayer impact still need to be established.
What about private donors?
I asked whether major donors might contribute in exchange for having their names on the building, as sometimes happens at universities.
Public buildings have different naming rules and policies, but private donors can still make significant contributions and leave a lasting legacy in the community. The Lake Oswego Schools Foundation offers an example of how private support can complement public funding.
I hope the City explores whether a focused fundraising effort could attract major gifts, foundation support, and other contributions.
What about the City's General Fund?
Jim Perris, a retired CFO and COO, raised an important point: urban renewal financing needs to be considered alongside the City's other financial responsibilities.
Mayor Buck clarified, “Jim's point was to think comprehensively about financial decision which is correct. We need to weigh costs of any project with the costs of alternatives, including the cost of doing nothing. Urban renewal plans have their own community-driven goals and should spur private investment and growth in our tax base. Resident-facing municipal services, like a library, can work to spur private investments in the area.”
The General Fund pays for essential services and City operations, including road maintenance and upkeep of City facilities. Councilor Corrigan said the City thinks it may be able to put $2 million back into the General Fund. Mayor Buck clarified, “This is the amount of property tax flowing into the general fund from the East End District, not anything related to the library.”
The details matter. Residents need to understand how the library proposal would affect other City priorities, what funding is actually available, and how the financial plan would work over time.
For more background, see my earlier post: How Much Might a New Lake Oswego Library Cost? We Don't Know Yet.
3. What's the vision for a future library?
Mayor Buck described a modern library as more than a collection of books. It's a place where people can come together for free.
Library Director Melissa Kelly expanded on that idea. And we all shared ideas.
I'm grateful to our neighbor Kimberley Rhoades, who is a a Children's / Youth Services Librarian and staff member at the West Linn Library, for sharing her ideas about what they are doing and want to be doing. My husband and I visited the West Linn Library and got a lot of great ideas about what is possible.
Our neighbors Doug and Liane Thomas visit libraries as a "hobby" it seems. Wherever they go, they visit the libraries. We invited them over to share their experiences and have asked them to share the collection of "best ideas" on a future blog post.
The exciting idea is to think of the library as a hub for access to information, experiences, and people—not simply as a building filled with books.
That could mean:
Books, e-books, audiobooks, digital resources, and research assistance.
Larger, more welcoming spaces for children's story hours and family programs.
Places for teens to learn, explore, and connect.
Maker spaces where children and adults can create, experiment, and learn new skills.
Classes, workshops, technology help, and other learning experiences.
Comfortable places to read quietly, work, study, or gather.
Services that reach people through a mobile library van, home delivery, book lockers, schools, senior centers, and community events.
The Future Library Task Force has an opportunity to explore what services people want and how best to provide them. That means thinking about the experience we want to create before deciding exactly what the building should look like.
4. Why call it a library and community center?
I raised a concern about combining a library and community center in a project that could cost around $100 million. Lake Oswego already has facilities for meetings, programs, and events, including Lakewood Center, LORAC, the Adult Community Center, Heritage House, the Teen Center, schools, City Hall, and other public spaces.
Could some of the proposed activities take place in facilities we already have? What additional services would justify the cost of building new community spaces?
I suggested that community center may not be the best term for their vision. Many people hear that phrase and picture a building with a stage and meeting rooms. Lake Oswego already has places like that.
What I heard was a broader vision: a library hub that connects people with resources, learning, creativity, and community experiences in many different ways.
That distinction is important. The Future Library task force has an ability to define the services and experiences first, then determine which spaces are needed and whether existing community facilities can meet some of those needs.
Mayor Buck wrote to me to clarify, “A note on the "community center" verbiage: community center is not a term used by the City outside of the council goal itself (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) which is in place to illustrate a modern library’s purpose, beyond books, to provide community enrichment, connection, shared learning and health. Because a “community center” is a term sometimes used to describe a different type of public or non-profit facility, there was understandable confusion around this. But the plan is and always has been focused on one structure: a new library. The council addressed this in a meeting earlier in 2026 and The Review reported on it."
Here's that link to the Review story https://lakeoswegoreview.com/2026/01/26/lake-oswego-councilors-still-want-a-new-library-built/
5. Could the Future Library Task Force brainstorm with a budget?
Yes. We discussed asking the task force to develop three options—Good, Better, and Best—with a budget range for each.
The goal would be to show residents what different levels of investment could deliver.
Good: Meets essential needs and improves the library experience, but may leave important opportunities unrealized.
Better: Provides more space and services, creating a stronger community hub.
Best: Offers the most complete, inspiring vision for the future, but may exceed what the community can reasonably afford.
The costs and features would need to be developed through research and planning, not guessed in advance. This approach would help residents see the choices, understand the trade-offs, and decide what level of investment makes sense for Lake Oswego.
Here’s an idea of a framework that the Future Library Task Force might use to share their recommendations.
6. Have we fully explored remodeling the existing library or creating a smaller branch elsewhere?
The City leaders said alternatives involving remodeling the current building and operating another library elsewhere had been considered.
One challenge is the ongoing cost of operating multiple facilities. Lake Oswego residents have supported multiple schools through bonds, but that doesn't necessarily mean they would support two libraries. Residents are understandably concerned about rising taxes, and a previous library bond proposal did not pass.
The City leaders also explained why they believe the current library site cannot accommodate their long-term vision.
Councilor Corrigan said, “Our existing library doesn’t have the footprint to allow us to do what we want to create that will last for 20+ years.”
Library Director Kelly described wanting views out into nature rather than into neighboring yards and homes. She said the neighbors at the existing site sometimes come over and close the blinds in the library for their privacy.
The vision includes:
Windows with views of trees and nature.
Larger indoor spaces where more children can participate in story hours, even during rainy Oregon weather.
Dedicated spaces for teens.
Maker spaces for children and adults.
More room for classes, programs, and community experiences.
More parking and easier access.
The City's 2025 market research found that only 10% of respondents considered the current library's convenience a concern. That suggests location may be less important to many residents than the services they can access and the experiences they have there.
It also creates an opportunity to rethink how library services are delivered, including digital resources, home delivery, book lockers, and neighborhood-based programs.
Mayor Buck explained in writing to me after our conversation his point, “Continuing to invest in the current library would not be a good financial decision since the facility would remain deficient in meeting community needs and the repairs would not substantially prolong the building’s overall life.”
The underlying question is whether remodeling can meet the community's long-term needs—or whether the existing site's limited space and setting would continue to constrain what the library can offer.
7. What is the timeline, and will the current library stay open?
Yes, the current library will stay open and be maintained.
The City leaders discussed a possible timeline for funding, design, construction, and opening a new library hub. The accompanying timeline graphic illustrates my understanding of that discussion.
An important consideration is keeping the existing library operational while a new facility is planned and built. Residents should be able to continue using library services during the transition. We were reassured by Library Director Melissa Kelly that they are continuing to invest in keeping our existing library operational and safe.
The City will need to explain how maintenance, safety, accessibility, technology, and day-to-day operations at the existing library will be funded until the new facility is ready.
The timeline and funding plan remain subject to further planning and decisions. I am just creating and sharing visuals from our discussion, not what is actually being done.
8. If the library moves, what happens to the existing property?
This is an important question for neighbors, particularly those concerned about future development and neighborhood character.
We asked the City to address land-use rules before the property is offered for sale. Specifically, we want clear parameters for future development, including:
Avoiding cottage-cluster development that would be inconsistent with the neighborhood's expectations and character.
Requiring adequate off-street parking for new homes or townhomes.
Establishing clear limits on what can be built on the property.
Mayor Buck said the library task force is working on this issue.
I believe residents should have a clear understanding of the rules that would govern the property before the City makes a decision to sell it. I think the City Leaders agree with this.
9. Why consider a library hub in Lake Grove?
Some residents strongly prefer keeping the library downtown. I asked who was advocating for a library in Lake Grove.
Mayor Buck explained that the City wants both downtown areas to thrive and noted that a large portion of the community lives closer to Lake Grove.
Councilor Corrigan also pointed to the lower cost of land and its location within an urban renewal area.
The challenge is to consider the needs of residents throughout Lake Oswego while weighing location, access, costs, and the services the City hopes to provide.
Those questions deserve broad community input, including from people who currently use the library digitally or visit only occasionally.
10. What should happen before a bond goes on the ballot?
I left the conversation encouraged by the vision, but I also believe the City has important work to do before asking residents to approve a major financial commitment.
Here are five recommendations I want to share here with our City leaders.
Be clear about the financial safeguards
Taxpayers need to know when the City would commit to purchasing property and what funding must be secured first. I would like the City to establish and communicate clear safeguards so that a property purchase does not move forward before the required voter approval and full funding plan are in place.
Look for additional funding
Consider engaging someone with expertise in public grants, foundations, and major-donor fundraising to identify potential sources of support. Private donors may be interested in helping create a lasting community resource, whether or not naming recognition is available.
Pilot new services while we wait
Could the City test some of the future library hub's services before the new building opens?
For example, the City might explore renting modest ground-floor space for a small, limited-staffed library service point. Depending on cost and feasibility, it could offer story hours, expanded Lucky Day books, meeting space, book pickup and drop-off, and perhaps a coffee or café component.
Think of the convenience and appeal of Powell's Books at the airport.
Pilot programs would let the City test what residents actually use before committing to a larger, permanent facility.
Get people excited about what the library could make possible
Especially for people who primarily use digital resources, the future library may offer opportunities they haven't yet imagined.
Show residents what access could look like: books and technology, creative experiences, learning opportunities, neighborhood services, and welcoming spaces for connection.
Help people picture the benefits for themselves, their families, and the broader community.
Publish the numbers and have them independently reviewed
Before a bond goes on the ballot, residents should be able to understand:
The total project cost, including design, construction, equipment, and other expenses.
How much could come from TIF, donations, bonds, and other sources.
The likely cost to taxpayers over the life of a bond.
The cost of maintaining the existing library until the new one opens.
What happens if costs rise or expected funding does not materialize.
I would also welcome experienced financial professionals, including people such as Jeff Gudman and Jim Perris, reviewing the assumptions and explaining the trade-offs in plain language. Independent scrutiny can help residents understand the proposal and make an informed decision.
My takeaway
I appreciated the opportunity to talk directly with Mayor Buck, Councilor Corrigan, and Library Director Melissa Kelly. I came away with a better understanding of the City's vision and the opportunity to think more broadly about what a future library could offer.
I am grateful for Jim Perris joining me for this conversation.
I am particularly interested in defining the services and experiences first, developing Good, Better, and Best options with realistic budgets, and making the financial plan understandable to everyone.
A future library should be about more than a building. It should be about how Lake Oswego residents access information, learn, create, gather, and connect—with services that reach people wherever they are.
Let's explore the possibilities, understand the costs,
and build a plan that works for our community.
Lots of questions. More answers. A big opportunity for Lake Oswego.
Let's go, LO!
I am a firm believer that we are better together. Please share you comments and thoughts here or reach out to me at info@OldTownLakeOswego.org
Mayor Buck concluded his email to me after our meeting sharing, “Thank you for engagement and looking forward to continuing it!”
More Information:
The City's project page on the library: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/library/future-library “This contains answers to many questions and reflects accurate language around the project as informed by the City's community engagement work and work with city council,” Mayor Buck wrote to me.
Our Other Blog Posts About the Library
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