Who We Are

The Library Foundation was founded more than 15 years ago to further the work of Multnomah County Library, supporting the library’s leadership and innovation and helping the library address emerging community needs and trends through private support. The foundation and the library work together, in a strong partnership, to determine where private funds can be leveraged to have the greatest impact and at the same time, not supplant the public’s responsibility for funding a strong library system. The foundation's support for the library is made possible by contributions, large and small, by more than 16,000 individuals, businesses and foundations.

Multnomah County Library is one of the most important cultural and educational resources in our region, playing a vital role in all of our community's endeavors from a healthy economy to the arts, from education to public affairs, from science to cultural engagement. With the highest circulation, per capita, of any public library in the nation, the library reaches more citizens in our county than any other public or private cultural or educational service. Our library is also a national leader in the field of children’s literacy.