Jefferson County Library District
🏢 Jefferson County Library District · Madras, Oregon
Jefferson County Library District
The Jefferson County Library District has served the high desert communities of central Oregon's Jefferson County since 1916, when 25 residents gathered in the Odd Fellows Hall in Madras to establish the Jefferson County Library Association. Now at 241 SE 7th Street, the district offers notary services, free museum passes to regional sites, a dedicated genealogy center called the Juniper Branch, and bilingual storytimes in English and Spanish for the county's diverse community.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–7pm |
| Thursday | 10am–7pm |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | 10am–3pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 241 Se 7Th St, Madras, OR 97741
Phone: (541) 475-3351
Website: jcld.org
Plus Code: 84PWJVMF+32 (Madras, OR)
📱 Scan for directions
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👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Jefferson County Library District
On July 25, 1916, a group of 25 to 30 Madras residents met at the old Athletic Hall and voted to create a library for Jefferson County; on August 3, they adopted bylaws and named it the Jefferson County Library Association (JCLA). The library began in a small room in the Odd Fellows Hall with books donated by residents and on loan from the Oregon State Library. It moved to 6th and D Street in 1920, and a new building rose there by June 1956 as the town grew. In 1990 the library relocated to its current home at 7th and E Street. The year 2000 brought a formal upgrade to district status — the Jefferson County Library District (JCLD) — and the adjacent Assembly of God church was acquired for storage and meetings. In 2020 the library received the Juniper Branch genealogy center, and in 2021–2022 it launched a community history project called I AM A STORY and acquired a new bookmobile through grant funding. Today the district holds more than 38,700 print volumes and 66,400 eBooks, runs 252 programs a year attended by nearly 4,900 people, and serves as a free connectivity hub with 8 public internet terminals for residents without home broadband.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded August 3, 1916 in the Odd Fellows Hall — over 110 years of continuous service to Jefferson County
- Became Jefferson County Library District in 2000, expanding governance and service reach across the county
- Juniper Branch genealogy center acquired in 2020 — dedicated local history and family research resources
- Free notary services by appointment, Tuesday–Thursday 10am–3pm
- Free museum passes to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, Heritage Station Museum (Pendleton), and Oregon State Parks day-use permits
- Bilingual storytimes in English and Spanish serving Jefferson County's diverse community
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Jefferson County Library District cardholders access Oregon's statewide digital collections free:
📚 Services
- Free notary services by appointment (Tue–Thu 10am–3pm)
- Free museum passes: Columbia Gorge Discovery Center (The Dalles), Columbia Gorge Museum (Stevenson WA), Heritage Station Museum (Pendleton), Central Cascades Wilderness passes, Oregon State Parks day-use permits
- Juniper Branch genealogy and local history center
- 8 public internet terminals and free Wi-Fi
- Computers, printing, and copying
- Interlibrary loan
- Room reservations
- School and educator outreach services
- Bookmobile for county outreach
🎸 Programs
- Bilingual storytimes in English and Spanish
- STEM activities and hands-on workshops
- Children's and adult book clubs
- Computer and digital literacy classes
- Author talks
- Chess Club
- Talk-Abouts community discussion events
- I AM A STORY community history documentation project
- Summer Reading Program
📍 Nearby Libraries in Central Oregon
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Jefferson County Library District get its start in 1916?
On July 25, 1916, a group of 25 to 30 Madras residents met at the old Athletic Hall to discuss starting a county library. A week later, on August 3, they adopted bylaws and named it the Jefferson County Library Association. Books came from local donations and loans from the Oregon State Library, and the first home was a small room in the Odd Fellows Hall.
Does the Jefferson County Library offer free notary services?
Yes — notary services are available by appointment on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 10am and 3pm. Call (541) 475-3351 to schedule. There is no charge for the service.
What is the Juniper Branch, and what genealogy resources are available?
The Juniper Branch is the library's dedicated genealogy and local history center, acquired in 2020. It holds materials documenting Jefferson County history and family research resources. Staff can assist with research during library hours. The library also offers access to online genealogy databases for remote searching.
Why is the library closed on Fridays?
The Jefferson County Library District schedules its hours to maximize staff capacity for extended evening service Monday through Thursday (10am–7pm) and Saturday morning service (10am–3pm). Friday closure is a staffing and funding decision common in rural Oregon library districts. Call (541) 475-3351 or check jcld.org for any seasonal changes.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📋 This library offers notary services. See what a library notary can do — what to bring, fees and appointments — and find other libraries with a notary notary services by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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