Pendleton Public Library
🏢 Umatilla County Special Library District · Pendleton, Oregon
Pendleton Public Library
Pendleton Public Library serves the wheat-belt gateway to the Blue Mountains from its home at 502 SW Dorion Ave — a publicly funded hub that grew out of the historic Carnegie Library building on North Main Street, now the Pendleton Center for the Arts. Open six days a week with extended evening hours Monday through Thursday, it offers one of Eastern Oregon's most expansive Library of Things collections, from inflatable kayaks to snowshoes to Chromebooks.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–7pm |
| Thursday | 10am–7pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 502 Sw Dorion Ave, Pendleton, OR 97801
Phone: (541) 966-0380
Website: pendletonor.gov
Plus Code: 85Q3M6C5+39 (Pendleton, 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 Pendleton Public Library
The Pendleton Public Library opened in its current form in 1987, when the City of Pendleton and the Umatilla County Special Library District established a dedicated facility on SW Dorion Avenue. Before that, Pendleton was served by the Umatilla County Library's branch inside the Carnegie Library building on North Main Street — a building that today houses the Pendleton Center for the Arts. The library is governed by a seven-member Advisory Board and funded jointly by the county tax district, the City of Pendleton, and the Oregon State Library, with additional support from the Pendleton Friends of the Library. It belongs to the SAGE Library System, meaning a Pendleton card unlocks holdings at partner libraries across Eastern Oregon. The collection spans books, films, audiobooks, databases, and a remarkable Library of Things with outdoor gear, STEAM tools, and technology devices — all available to any county resident with a free library card.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Successor to the Umatilla County Carnegie Library on North Main Street, independently established in 1987 at 502 SW Dorion Ave
- Library of Things with inflatable kayak, stand-up paddle board, tents, snowshoes, skis, and Sphero robots available to borrow
- Read Ride Run mobile storytime at Grecian Heights Park every Wednesday morning at 9am — stories, rhymes, and outdoor play combined
- SAGE Library System member: one card searches and borrows from Eastern Oregon partner libraries
- Oregon Digital Library Consortium via Library2Go: free eBooks and eAudiobooks for all cardholders
- Discover & Go Museum Passes through the Libraries of Eastern Oregon network
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Pendleton cardholders access free digital collections through Oregon's statewide and consortium platforms:
📚 Services
- Free library cards for Umatilla County residents
- Library of Things: outdoor gear, tech devices, games, STEAM kits, sports equipment
- Public computers, printing, scanning, and free Wi-Fi
- Interlibrary loan through the SAGE Library System
- Umatilla County Law Library access
- Discover & Go Museum Passes
- Reference and reader's advisory assistance
- Meeting and program space
🎸 Programs
- Thursday morning Story Time for young children (10:15am)
- Read Ride Run: outdoor mobile storytime at Grecian Heights Park every Wednesday at 9am
- Banned Books Club and VolunTEENs for teens
- Adult Cookbook Club and craft sessions
- Bricks & Books, Minecraft Makers, and Family Literacy Nights
- Summer Reading Program for all ages
📍 Nearby Libraries in Eastern Oregon
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the history of the Pendleton Public Library, and what happened to the old Carnegie building?
Pendleton was served for decades by the Umatilla County Library's branch inside the Carnegie Library on North Main Street. In 1987 the City of Pendleton and Umatilla County Special Library District established the current independent library at 502 SW Dorion Ave. The original Carnegie building now houses the Pendleton Center for the Arts.
What outdoor and recreational gear can I borrow from the Pendleton Library of Things?
The Library of Things includes an inflatable kayak, stand-up paddle board, tents (including a Megahorn XL Tipi), sleeping bags, trekking poles, snowshoes, skis with bindings, life vests, hammock, and backpacking gear for men and women. Some items require a small refundable deposit.
What is the Read Ride Run program, and when does it meet?
Read Ride Run is the library's outdoor mobile storytime at Grecian Heights Park every Wednesday morning at 9am. It combines storytelling, music, and outdoor activity — a great option for families with young children who enjoy learning outside the building.
Can I use the Pendleton Library card at other Eastern Oregon libraries?
Yes. Pendleton Public Library is a SAGE Library System member, so your card works at partner libraries across Eastern Oregon. You can also search and place holds in the shared SAGE catalog online.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things 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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