Oregon State Library
Encyclopedia
The Oregon State Library in Salem
, is the library for the U.S. state
of Oregon
. The mission of the Oregon State Library is to provide quality information services to Oregon state government, provide reading materials to blind and print-disabled Oregonians, and provide leadership, grants, and other assistance to improve local library service for all Oregonians.
The Oregon State Library was established as the Oregon Library Commission in 1905. The original mission of the Library was to establish public and school libraries throughout Oregon. Cornelia Marvin came to Oregon from the Wisconsin Free Library Commission to become the first State Librarian. Soon the State Library was also providing information to state government agencies and collecting and preserving the publications of state agencies.
Prior to the completion of a stand alone building in 1939, the state library was located in the basement and first floor of the Oregon Supreme Court Building
. This building and the Oregon State Capitol
were connected by tunnels used for heating and electricity, the fire that destroyed the capitol in 1935 also caused damaged to the library collections. This was due to the water used to fight the fire drained into the basement and destroyed many books stored in the library.
In 1969 the Library took over talking book and Braille
library services for blind and print-disabled Oregonians from the Multnomah County Library
in Portland
.
Today the Oregon State Library provides information services to over 37,000 state government employees. The State Library also circulates library materials in cassette and Braille format to approximately 7,000 blind and print-disabled Oregonians and provides grants and assistance to help develop and improve local library services, and to foster greater cooperation among all of Oregon's libraries.
Since its founding, the State Library has been governed by an independent Board of Trustees. The present board consists of seven citizens from throughout the state who are appointed by the governor
to serve four-year terms.
in 1937. The State Library Building was extensively renovated in the 1990s.
The Reference Room on the second floor of the Library contains the most comprehensive collection of family history
research materials in the state, provided through a partnership between the Library and the Willamette Valley Genealogical Society
. Members of the Society are available to assist with family history research.
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, is the library for the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. The mission of the Oregon State Library is to provide quality information services to Oregon state government, provide reading materials to blind and print-disabled Oregonians, and provide leadership, grants, and other assistance to improve local library service for all Oregonians.
History
The Territorial Library was first housed in the Territorial Capitol Building that burned in 1855 with most of the library collection lost to the fire.The Oregon State Library was established as the Oregon Library Commission in 1905. The original mission of the Library was to establish public and school libraries throughout Oregon. Cornelia Marvin came to Oregon from the Wisconsin Free Library Commission to become the first State Librarian. Soon the State Library was also providing information to state government agencies and collecting and preserving the publications of state agencies.
Prior to the completion of a stand alone building in 1939, the state library was located in the basement and first floor of the Oregon Supreme Court Building
Oregon Supreme Court Building
The Oregon Supreme Court Building is the home to the Oregon Supreme Court, Oregon Court of Appeals, and the Oregon Judicial Department. Located in the state’s capitol of Salem, it is Oregon’s oldest state government building...
. This building and the Oregon State Capitol
Oregon State Capitol
The Oregon State Capitol is the building housing the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state, and treasurer of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in the state capital, Salem. The current building, constructed from 1936 to 1938, and expanded in 1977, is the third...
were connected by tunnels used for heating and electricity, the fire that destroyed the capitol in 1935 also caused damaged to the library collections. This was due to the water used to fight the fire drained into the basement and destroyed many books stored in the library.
In 1969 the Library took over talking book and Braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
library services for blind and print-disabled Oregonians from the Multnomah County Library
Multnomah County Library
Multnomah County Library is a public library system serving Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. Started in 1864, the system has 19 library locations with books, magazines, DVDs, and computers. It is the largest library system in Oregon serving a population of 724,680, with more than 425,000...
in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
Operations
Since its founding, the State Library has been governed by an independent Board of Trustees. The present board consists of seven citizens from throughout the state who are appointed by the governor
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
to serve four-year terms.
Building
The historic State Library Building, located in downtown Salem, was dedicated in 1939. It was the first building to be constructed on what is today known as the Capitol Mall, and was completed only two years after the dedication of the Oregon State CapitolOregon State Capitol
The Oregon State Capitol is the building housing the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state, and treasurer of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in the state capital, Salem. The current building, constructed from 1936 to 1938, and expanded in 1977, is the third...
in 1937. The State Library Building was extensively renovated in the 1990s.
The Reference Room on the second floor of the Library contains the most comprehensive collection of family history
Family history
Family history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific family, or specific families.- Introduction :...
research materials in the state, provided through a partnership between the Library and the Willamette Valley Genealogical Society
Willamette Valley Genealogical Society
The Willamette Valley Genealogical Society is an active group of genealogists, both amateur and professional, based in Salem, Oregon.The society assists the Oregon State Library in maintaining the library's Genealogical Resource Center. WVGS is also active in the growing field of genetic genealogy....
. Members of the Society are available to assist with family history research.
See also
- Mark O. Hatfield LibraryMark O. Hatfield LibraryThe Mark O. Hatfield Library is the main library at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1986, it is a member of the Hatfield Library Consortium along with several library lending networks and is a designated Federal depository library. Willamette's original library was...
- Parish L. WillisParish L. WillisParish Lovejoy Willis was an American attorney and politician in the state of Oregon. A native of Illinois, he served as cavalry in the Rogue River War before becoming a lawyer...