[1] The system was funded by the county government, which was heavily reliant on declining sales taxes on timber harvests on federal land, and began budget reductions in 1982.

[3] The Douglas County Board of Commissioners voted in June 2016 to place a ballot measure asking to create a public library district and fund it using a property tax of 44 cents per $1,000 in assessed value.

[8][9] The Roseburg main branch closed on May 31, 2017, and library supporters held a wake during its final evening in service.

[11][12] At the time of its closure in 2017, the system operated eleven branches in the cities of Canyonville, Drain, Glendale, Myrtle Creek, Oakland, Reedsport, Riddle, Roseburg, Sutherlin, Winston, and Yoncalla.

[8] By the following year, nine branches had reopened under the care of volunteers with grants from city governments as well as private donations and fundraisers.