New Library for LO at Foothills Park?

Derrith Schmidt
7 days ago
5 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a library in Lake Oswego with a view like this—nestled along the river, or beside a peaceful pond framed by trees, with light pouring in through walls of windows?

Our current Lake Oswego Public Library serves our community well, but it is aging and in need of renovation or replacement. The Foothills area is already being “reimagined” as a vibrant, future-focused neighborhood. A thoughtfully designed library could anchor that vision—a civic space that brings together learning, connection, culture, and nature. A place everyone would want to go! Wouldn't a library with a view like this be wonderful to have in LO along the River? Or someplace else in LO with a man-made pond, trees and a beautiful view?

Learn more here about what's happening at Foothills District and what's possible and not possible to place there - a library we've learned is not an option

But we could build a beautiful library with a view somewhere else in LO!

Recently, my husband Michael and I traveled to Texas and visited the town where he lived for many years: Coppell, a suburb of Dallas. There, I experienced one of the most beautiful public libraries I’ve ever seen: the Coppell Public Library.

I was truly in awe.

The library features soaring walls of windows overlooking a serene pond with a fountain. Natural light fills the reading areas. There are inviting spaces to read, study, and work—each with calming views of water and trees. It feels less like a building and more like a sanctuary for learning.

Imagine something like that here in Lake Oswego: A place where architecture and landscape work together to inspire creativity and reflection.

The Coppell library also includes:

A modern teen room designed specifically for young adults
Dedicated quiet zones
Conference and meeting rooms
Flexible community gathering spaces
All the technology and amenities expected in a 21st-century public library

It’s not just a place to check out books—it’s a vibrant community hub.

What could we imagine for a new Lake Oswego library?

Expansive windows and outdoor reading terraces
Spaces for children, teens, and adults designed with intention
Areas for art exhibits and community events
Flexible meeting rooms for nonprofits and neighborhood groups
A café or coffee kiosk
Sustainable design that reflects our environmental values
Easy access to walking and biking paths along the river

Libraries today are more than repositories of books. They are places of gathering, lifelong learning, creativity, and connection. A new library could become a defining civic landmark for Lake Oswego—one that honors both our natural beauty and our commitment to education and community.

What are your favorite libraries?

What would you love to see in a new Lake Oswego library?

Here are a few more photos of the beautiful library in Coppell, Texas.

The back of the library with the wall of windows along the pond

The front of the public library in Coppell, Texas

Here's a link to the Coppell library's website to learn/see more.

In LO, the person responsible for the City planning for the Foothills District is Erik Olson. You can contact him with your ideas at:

eolson@lakeoswego.city

Mayor Joe Buck wrote to me after reading this blog post today with this additional information,

"Derrith - wow! I'm so glad you and Michael had the chance to visit the library in Coppell. Thank you for really detailing out what modern libraries are and how they serve such a broad segment of the community. Really well done! I loved reading it. Many of these points are shared by the library team and residents engaged on the library effort.

A couple of things to keep in mind:

1) the current council goal prioritizes looking at the West side of town for the library. The rationale is two-fold. First, there's a long standing desire to site a civic facility on the West side, which represents the population center of LO. Second, the active Lake Grove Urban Renewal Area could provide the financing needed to make the facility a reality. It may be that there is no viable location on the West side, but the Council wants to run it to ground first before exploring other plans.

2) The Urban Renewal Area in Foothills is needed to pay for what is expected to be substantial public infrastructure needed to make revitalization possible. Given the fact that we have a chunk of the district occupied by public facilities - a park and the wastewater treatment plan - the capacity to site another major facility in Foothills will be a challenge. It will be private development (you know, the kind that pays taxes!) that will fuel the financing of the public infrastructure. That is not to close the door on the idea at all - it is just to say that we have a geographic consideration we're exploring first and financing in Foothills could be very challenging (and frankly too far out considering the state of the current building).

The main message, however, is how important libraries are to healthy, connected and vibrant communities. Regardless of where in our limited town we find a space, I am glad you are a library champion! The effort needs you. Thank you!

Joe"

**** Update: I've also learned several other reasons building a new library at Foothills Park isn't feasible:

Foothills Park District is in a flood zone
It may take 15 years before the Foothills District is completed...way too long to wait for a new, improved library!
Traffic complications for most people to get to and into Foothills Park area

But we can still dream of a beautiful new library somewhere in LO with a wall of windows overlooking nature - a man-made pond or trees. The view from the workout room at LORAC is a great example of a wall of windows looking out onto the golf course and trees.

*****

From online research about what's happening in Lake Oswego, here's a summary of what I've learned about the Lake Oswego Public Library rebuild / facility planning process and committee progress based on the latest available public information:

The City of Lake Oswego is planning to replace the current, aging library (built in 1983) with a new, larger facility, likely a joint Community Center & Library, due to space constraints and structural limitations. The project aims to improve services, increase accessibility, and support community needs, with a focus on creating flexible gathering spaces.

Key aspects of the Lake Oswego Library's future include:

New Facility Development: City councilors and staff are determined to build a new library, as the current 4th Street location is considered inadequate, facing issues like water intrusion and lack of seismic resilience.
Strategic Plan 2024-2026: The focus is on serving people beyond the building, increasing community awareness of library value, and updating technology.
Expansion & Upgrades: Future plans include expanded children's services, dedicated spaces for teens/tweens, and a maker space.
Mobile Outreach: A new bookmobile with ADA accessibility is expected in fall 2025 to increase services throughout the community.
Site and Funding: While a new location is being sought (potentially in the Lake Grove area), the exact location and funding mechanisms (such as a potential bond) are still in the planning stages.

More information here from the City about the library strategic plan

https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/library/library-strategic-plan

Current Status

The initial visioning and planning phases are complete and have now transitioned into strategic implementation. The City and library staff are using that planning work to explore how space and services can change to meet community needs.
Council members and community leaders continue to discuss the library’s future, including modern facility needs and the idea of expanded or new spaces, though there is no finalized construction plan or timeline publicly adopted yet.

What’s Next

Continued community engagement and advocacy will shape decisions about whether the library gets a renovation, expansion, or a new location in the years ahead.
Any future major project — such as relocating, rebuilding, or expanding facilities — would likely require City Council direction, funding planning, and possibly a voter measure to support construction costs.