Ontario Community Library
🏢 Ontario Library District · Ontario, Oregon
Ontario Community Library
Founded in 1906 by a local women's club with 75 donated dollars and a handful of books, the Ontario Community Library has grown into the hub of Malheur County's public library system — including a 36-foot bookmobile that reaches rural patrons across one of Oregon's largest counties.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–7pm |
| Thursday | 10am–5pm |
| Friday | 10am–4pm |
| Saturday | 12pm–4pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 388 Sw 2Nd Ave, Ontario, OR 97914
Phone: (541) 889-6371
Website: ontariocommunitylibrary.org
Plus Code: 85P522GJ+6P (Ontario, OR)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Ontario Community Library
The Ontario Community Library is the main branch of the Ontario Library District, serving Ontario, Oregon, and Malheur County on the Idaho border. Its roots go back to 1906, when a small group of Ontario women organized the Work and Win Club and pooled $75 to establish a subscription library. By 1913 a Carnegie grant of $7,500 funded a purpose-built library building; in 1920 the county began contributing taxes and the library expanded county-wide as the Malheur County Library. The current building at 388 SW 2nd Avenue opened on April 21, 1968, designed to hold 85,000 volumes and funded at $410,000. In 2008 voters approved a dedicated library district tax and the institution was renamed the Ontario Community Library after a schoolchildren's naming contest. Today the collection holds over 100,000 items and the library runs a year-round bookmobile service — its newest vehicle, a 36-foot Mother Goose-themed unit with wheelchair-accessible entry, arrived in 2023-24. The library offers free Oregon State Parks day-use passes, Kanopy streaming, Mango Languages, and genealogy resources including an obituary research service.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded 1906 by the Work and Win Club — one of Oregon's oldest continually operating public libraries, with a Carnegie building (1913) in its heritage
- Current 1968 building at 388 SW 2nd Ave designed for 85,000 volumes; collection now exceeds 100,000 items
- Year-round bookmobile (2023 36-foot wheelchair-accessible vehicle) covering remote Malheur County communities
- Free Oregon State Parks day-use passes available for checkout — explore Farewell Bend, Lake Owyhee, and more
- Named by local schoolchildren in 2008 when the Ontario Library District was established by voter-approved tax measure
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Ontario Library District cardholders can stream, learn, and research free through these digital services:
📚 Services
- 23 public computers & free Wi-Fi
- Print, copy & scan (20¢/page)
- Bookmobile service countywide
- Interlibrary loan (70+ library network)
- Genealogy research & obituary search (ontariolibraryobits@gmail.com)
- Oregon State Parks day-use pass lending
- Test proctoring
- Meeting room (up to 50 people, free for nonprofits)
- Auto repair manual reference collection
- AWE early literacy computer (ages 2–5)
- DVDs & PlayAway tablets
🎸 Programs
- Friday Kids Hour — storytime & crafts for children
- Adult Community Read Book Club — monthly discussion of diverse genres
- Craft Hour creative activities
- Library bookmobile visits to rural schools and communities
📍 Nearby Libraries in Eastern Oregon
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for a free Ontario Community Library card?
Any Malheur County resident — or anyone who works or owns property in the county — qualifies for a free library card. Oregon residents from other counties can also apply; contact the library at (541) 889-6371 for reciprocal-borrowing details.
How does the bookmobile work and where does it go?
The Ontario Library District's bookmobile travels throughout rural Malheur County on a regular schedule, stopping at schools, community centers, and neighborhoods too far from the main branch. The 2023–24 vehicle is a 36-foot, wheelchair-accessible unit that carries 3,000 items. Contact the library at ontariobookmobile@gmail.com for current route information.
Can I borrow Oregon State Parks passes from the library?
Yes — the library lends Oregon State Parks day-use passes that waive the normal vehicle entry fee. Passes cover parks across the state including Farewell Bend and Lake Owyhee State Recreation Area near Ontario. Ask at the circulation desk for availability.
Does the library offer genealogy help for researching Malheur County families?
Yes — the library maintains genealogy resources and a dedicated obituary research service. You can email obituary requests to ontariolibraryobits@gmail.com or visit during open hours to use the in-house reference collection.
📜 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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