History

Cedar Mill residents organized the Cedar Mill Community Library Association in the fall of 1974. Our founders recognized that a strong community needs a Library - a safe place for people to gather, share, learn and help each other.

A Washington County bookmobile served the area for several months until a space was found in the Milltowner Shopping Center for the library, which celebrated its grand opening in January 1976. In 1978 the library moved into a new section of the shopping center, with 6,275 square feet of space. In May 1988 the library expanded to 15,400 square feet. In 2001, the library completed an expansion and remodeling that increased the total library size to 24,500 square feet. The expansion was done entirely with private fundraising. For more details, read this article in the Cedar Mill News on the Library.

In early 2007, with population and library use increasing, the library association looked into expansion options. Central Bethany Development offered a 1,800 square foot retail space with very favorable leasing terms. The Bethany Branch opened in July 2007. The library moved across Central Drive to its current location in June 2009, expanding to 4,600 square feet of space.