Opened in 1913, it serves as the main branch of the Multnomah County Library system.

[4] After going through several locations during the first half-century of existence, the library board decided on a new large main branch for downtown Portland in 1911.

[7] From 1902 until that date, the association owned the collections and buildings, but the operations were paid for by the local governments.

The entire roof of the building was removed and completely rebuilt, while the interior was remodeled and restored.

[11] The Central Library was closed in March 2023 to undergo a refresh, which maintained the core characteristics while providing more functional spaces.

[19] The library's collections weigh more than 875 tons and take up 17 miles (27 km) of shelf space.