Longview Public Library
🏢 City of Longview · Longview, Washington
Longview Public Library
The Longview Public Library has been the cultural anchor of this planned Columbia River industrial city since R. A. Long's initial development funds helped establish it in the 1920s — today operating from the historic Civic Center at 1600 Louisiana Street with six-day service, a drive-thru pick-up, the Koth Gallery for local art, and a seed library that keeps the region's gardening heritage alive.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9am–6pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1600 Louisiana Street, Longview, WA 98632
Phone: (360) 442-5300
Website: longviewlibrary.org
Plus Code: 84RV43R6+3J (Longview, WA)
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📖 About Longview Public Library
The Longview Public Library serves Cowlitz County's largest city, a planned industrial community platted in 1923 by lumber magnate R. A. Long on the east bank of the Columbia River where it meets the Cowlitz River. The library occupies a building in Longview's historic Civic Center complex, which Long helped fund in the city's formative years. Today it is operated as a department of the City of Longview, serving a community of roughly 40,000 residents with a broad circulating collection, public computers, meeting rooms, and programming for all ages. The Koth Gallery inside the library displays rotating exhibitions of local and regional art, while the Seed Library allows patrons to check out seeds for home gardens and return new seeds at season's end. A mobile library service reaches neighborhoods and community sites beyond the main building, and a drive-thru window allows convenient hold pick-up Monday through Saturday. Washington's AskWA program connects cardholders to live librarian assistance online around the clock.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Located in Longview's historic Civic Center, a planned-city landmark funded in part by lumber magnate R. A. Long in the 1920s
- Koth Gallery hosts rotating exhibitions of local and regional art inside the library
- Seed Library lets patrons borrow seeds for home gardens and return new seeds each season
- Mobile Library takes programs and materials to neighborhoods and community sites across Longview
- Drive-thru service (Mon–Sat, 10am–3pm) for convenient hold pick-up without leaving your car
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Longview Public Library cardholders can access a range of free digital resources:
📚 Services
- Free library cards for Longview and Cowlitz County residents
- Seed Library — borrow seeds for home gardening, return new seeds at harvest
- Koth Gallery — rotating local and regional art exhibitions
- Mobile Library outreach to neighborhoods and community sites
- Drive-thru hold pick-up Monday through Saturday, 10am–3pm
- Public computers, printing, and free Wi-Fi
- Meeting rooms for community use
- Culture Card program — access to local cultural venues
- Interlibrary loan for materials not held locally
- Reference and research assistance
🎸 Programs
- Storytimes and early learning programs (Early Learning collection)
- Teen events and activities
- Adult programs including book clubs and ukulele classes
- Culture Card raffle and arts programming
- Summer reading program for all ages
- Mobile Library community outreach events
📍 Nearby Libraries in Southwest Washington & Northwest Oregon
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Longview · Browse all Washington libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Seed Library at Longview Public Library?
The Seed Library is a unique lending collection of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds that any cardholder can borrow. At the end of the growing season, gardeners are encouraged to save seeds from their plants and return them to the library, keeping the collection fresh and locally adapted. It is free with a library card.
What is the Koth Gallery inside the library?
The Koth Gallery is an art exhibition space inside the Longview Public Library that showcases rotating works by local and regional artists. Exhibitions change throughout the year and are free to view during regular library hours.
Does Longview Public Library offer drive-thru service?
Yes. A drive-thru window at the library is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for picking up holds, craft packets, and other items — convenient for patrons who cannot come inside. Regular library hours run until 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Is the Longview Public Library part of a regional library system?
The library is operated as a department of the City of Longview. It participates in Washington's statewide resource sharing programs, including AskWA for live online reference help and Libby/OverDrive for digital borrowing. For physical interlibrary loans, the library connects to other Washington and national networks so you can request materials from outside the local collection.
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