New Grants Pass library branch

This property is the future site of the new Grants Pass library. After thoughtful planning which started in 2019 with the development of the library Facilities Master Plan, Josephine Community Library Foundation purchased this property in 2023 with $2 million of funding from generous donations from community members, local businesses, and foundation grants. This ideal location offers the space needed to build a modern, welcoming library designed to serve our growing community for decades to come.

Architects and engineers have determined that the existing structure cannot be salvaged for library use (see Site Criteria starting on page 225 of the Facilities Master Plan). Constructing a new building allows the library to create a space that is accessible, functional, and flexible: designed specifically for the way our community uses its library now, while being adaptable for changes in the future.

Current businesses have been aware of these plans for several years, especially since the library foundation purchased the property in 2023. Library leaders keep the businesses continually informed of the project progress and timeline. They appreciate the businesses’ contributions to the vitality of downtown Grants Pass and their role in this transition. The library foundation’s board of directors is committed to keeping tenants informed and will continue to share updates as important milestones are reached.

Although the library has a lease agreement with Josephine County through 2030, the county has expressed the desire to use the library building for offices. Through most of 2025, the library teetered under the threat of lease termination and the need to quickly move to another location which would have been tremendously disruptive to the community of library users. The new library will be fully owned by the library and built with the potential for future expansion to serve the community’s growing population.

The current Grants Pass library was built in 1959 and is 15,470 square feet. This space is too small for the books and other materials, computers and other technology, public programs, and meeting spaces needed by a city of 39,000 people. Furthermore, the building is deteriorating from years of deferred maintenance. 

The new library will offer the economic benefits of internet access, a wide variety of public programs, and materials to borrow for education, enrichment, and entertainment. The library will be a thriving community center where all can come together to learn, work, and play, and will include ample meeting space where local organizations and groups can connect. The property’s downtown location will help revitalize that area, linking the historic district to the Rogue River.

Given the current level of use and the needs of the programs and services the community wants the library to provide, the footprint for the existing site is too small for even a multi-floor building or the parking that would be required.

That property is privately owned, and the library’s goal is to own its future home rather than lease. Ownership ensures long-term stability and allows the library to invest in a space that fully supports library services. About 16 properties were originally considered for this project, including the former Bank of America building. After analysis of library site criteria and potential costs, the River City Plaza property ended up being the most feasible and cost-effective of the downtown properties under consideration.

The library conducted four community meetings and many stakeholder focus groups in 2019 as well as public listening sessions in 2024 to learn what the community needs and expects from its libraries. The library planning team also researched future population growth and library usage estimates for the area. All this information created the program, space, and facilities requirements that led to the creation of the concept drawing. Independent cost estimates were done after the completion of the concept and schematic design phases, and they have consistently come to $26 million. In addition to actual construction, this estimate includes planning, permitting, furniture fixtures, technology, and equipment costs, and also calculates a percentage of inflation for each passing year. The library design team members continuously seek cost savings as they work through the design process.

The new Grants Pass library will not be funded by taxes collected by the library district, which is designated for library operations. Furthermore, the library does not intend to seek loans or a voter-approved bond for this project. Instead, funding for the new library will be through diverse funding sources, including individual donors, business sponsors, grant funding, state and federal programs, and in-kind contributions.

After voters approved the formation of the library district in 2017, community members began demanding a new Grants Pass facility. In response, library leaders did the research and analysis necessary to develop a comprehensive Facilities Master Plan in 2019. The next step was the capital projects feasibility study, also conducted in 2019. As part of this study, library leaders talked with representative community members about the new library. The library also conducted a series of eight listening sessions in 2024 with various community groups, including library donors and volunteers, local businesses and neighbors, and the general public. Through this meaningful outreach and listening, the library was able to conclude that there is strong support throughout the community to build the new library.

In 2019, the library foundation hosted four community meetings to discuss the new library design, which formed the concept for the Facilities Master Plan. In 2024, the library foundation hosted a series of eight community listening sessions with ZCS Engineering & Architecture to present four library design concepts for public review and input. Participants of the listening sessions completed surveys about the concepts, and more than 60 percent of respondents favored a one-story design featuring a secure outdoor courtyard, expanded spaces for children and teens, meeting rooms, and potential for future expansion. The library district and foundation boards reviewed survey results and considered budget constraints, staffing limitations, funding challenges, cost of operations, and the need to balance immediate needs with long-term needs. The boards unanimously confirmed the community’s choice.

The current library on C Street is 15,470 square feet. When it was built in 1959, the Grants Pass population was about 15,000 people. The library planning team considered current library usage, the population of more than 35,000, and future growth, and recommended that the new library should be at least 30,000 square feet. Library leaders settled on a midway point of a single-story, 22,000-square-foot design.

Last year, more than 300,000 items were checked out across the four branches, including ebooks and audiobooks. Thousands of residents used public computers, and volunteers contributed service equal to about 10 full-time employees.

This project is still in the planning and fundraising phase. While we planned to break ground at the end of 2027 and there is great momentum, fundraising will determine the timeline for construction, which may take longer than anticipated. The library will continue to share updates as timelines become clearer. Here’s how you can stay informed and help become a part of making this vision a reality: 

Stay informed: Follow updates from the library as plans progress. If you have more questions or want to be added to the mailing list about the project, please email info@jclfoundation.org. 

Spread the word: Help share accurate information with friends and neighbors.

Advocate: Be a voice for the importance of a strong, permanent library in our community.

Give: Support the project financially at any level by making a donation. Every dollar helps! To learn more and donate, visit: jclfoundation.org/donate