Belmont Library
🏢 Multnomah County Library — Portland, Oregon
Belmont Library
A neighborhood-funded landmark since 1924, the Belmont Library is currently closed for a major 2020-bond renovation and is scheduled to reopen to the public on August 15, 2026, with expanded community and youth spaces.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays.
📍 Location & Contact
Address: 1038 SE César E. Chávez Boulevard, Portland, OR 97214
Phone: (503) 988-5123
Website: multcolib.org
📖 About Belmont Library
The Belmont Library opened on March 7, 1924, as a gift built with money raised by residents of the Belmont and Hawthorne neighborhoods — one of the first times Portland library users funded the construction of a branch in their own community. The original 2,924-square-foot building, designed by architect Jamieson Parker, was known for its small round windows and large oak tables, and it was expanded with a children's room in 1937 using Works Progress Administration funds. A 1999–2000 renovation nearly doubled its size to about 5,954 square feet. The branch has long been one of the system's busiest for holds: in 2023 it averaged around 2,300 items on hold each month, more than any other Multnomah County Library location. It has been closed since September 7, 2024, for a bond-funded renovation adding flexible community meeting spaces, a larger youth area, and accessibility upgrades, with a planned reopening on August 15, 2026.
⭐ What makes this branch special
- Opened March 7, 1924, funded by residents — one of Portland's first neighborhood-built branch libraries
- Original building designed by architect Jamieson Parker, later expanded with WPA funds in 1937
- Averaged about 2,300 items on hold per month in 2023, the most of any Multnomah County branch
- Closed since September 7, 2024 for a 2020-bond renovation; reopening planned for August 15, 2026
📱 Free with a Multnomah County Library Card
Any Oregon resident can get a library card free and unlock:
📍 More Multnomah County Library branches
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Belmont Library open right now?
No. The Belmont Library has been closed since September 7, 2024, for a renovation funded by the voter-approved 2020 library bond, and Multnomah County Library has scheduled it to reopen to the public on August 15, 2026.
Where can I go while the Belmont Library is closed?
Multnomah County Library directs Belmont patrons to nearby alternate branches — the Central, Hollywood, and Holgate libraries — for holds and services. Returns cannot be made at the closed Belmont building and should go to an open branch.
What is being added in the Belmont Library renovation?
The 2020-bond project is expanding Belmont's interior with flexible meeting spaces for community use, a larger youth space for children and families, and accessibility improvements, building on a library that residents originally funded and constructed themselves in 1924.