Help us strengthen our community.

We raise and manage funds to ensure a world-class public library system that serves all people in Deschutes County.
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Impact
7
Locations supporting our communities.
220
Free cultural programs.
75%
of Americans say libraries help them learn things.
$386K
In tax refunds with help from library resources.
What we do
Capital Campaign

Great things are happening! Thanks to our community who responded with a positive YES to a bond measure passed in November 2020, all libraries and library services are now being expanded across Deschutes County! Libraries in Bend, Redmond, Sisters, La Pine, Sunriver, East Bend, and Downtown are currently being remodeled and/or new libraries are being built to accommodate our population growth.

The NEXT CHAPTER Capital Campaign will raise $10 million from now through December 2026 to fund three core areas that are not covered by the 2020 voter-approved bond funds.

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Youth Initiatives

At the core of our mission lies a commitment to nurturing young minds and fostering a lifelong love of learning. Our Children's Learning and Discovery Spaces provide innovative, hands-on environments where children ages 0-5 develop crucial literacy skills through reading, play, and creative exploration alongside their caregivers. Through our signature Summer with the Library program, we engage over 5,000 participants annually in dynamic reading activities and educational experiences, helping prevent summer learning loss while building lasting connections with books and learning. Together, these initiatives create a foundation for educational success that extends far beyond our library walls.

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Programs
Author! Author!

The Author! Author! literary series brings award-winning authors to Central Oregon to share their books and engage audiences in discussions regarding their work. This series expands the literary landscape of Central Oregon, improves literacy in the region, and strengthens community dialogue. Local high schools are provided with books written by visiting authors, and authors often make presentations to at-risk youth to highlight the power of writing and reading. All proceeds from Author! Author! ticket sales benefit the Library’s youth, teen, and senior programs and services. 

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A Novel Idea

Through A Novel Idea... Read Together, thousands of Deschutes County residents share the common bond of reading a selected book and participating in related cultural and literacy events each spring. "A Novel Idea" is the largest community read program in the state of Oregon. The robust free programming that supports "A Novel Idea," as well as the author's culminating visit, is made possible by the work of the Deschutes Public Library Foundation and its donors.

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