Our story

Josephine Community Library serves our community at branches in Grants Pass, Illinois Valley, Williams, and Wolf Creek, and online, where nearly 5,000 users access JosephineLibrary.org each month. More than 300,000 items are checked out annually by Josephine County residents, and thousands of loyal patrons, including families, students, professionals, and retirees attend programs to be entertained and educated, and to socialize with their friends and neighbors.

Maintaining and circulating a professionally curated, balanced collection of books and other materials has long been a core library service. The four locations of Josephine Community Library also provide safe, free spaces for patrons to gather, to access the Internet and other services, to build children’s literacy, and to facilitate ongoing learning for teens and adults in the pursuit of a happy, healthy life.

Overcoming a History of Funding Challenges

Established in 1914, the Josephine County library system has long been a cornerstone of community engagement. Through the years, our libraries have weathered numerous funding challenges, each time relying on the heroic efforts of its citizens to survive.

In 2007, when Josephine County’s Board of County Commissioners reallocated funding meant for the libraries, forcing their immediate closure, the community rallied to form a nonprofit. By 2009, thanks to generous donations and grants, to say nothing of the hundreds of volunteers, the nonprofit successfully reopened all four branches.

Finally, in May 2017, Josephine County residents voted to create a special Library District, separate from city and county government, which would be funded by a permanent tax rate of $0.39 per $1,000 assessed property value. When the following January all four branches reopened with public funding, it was a testament to the persistence and dedication of our community partners and volunteers.

Today, more than 25,000 active library cardholders enjoy the library’s services and check out more than 20,000 items each month. Annually, nearly 9,000 patrons use the libraries’ computers to access the Internet, build new skill for the workplace, or take advantage of free high-speed Internet service. We could not accomplish this without our small but dedicated staff and the tireless contributions of more than 200 volunteers working on the order of 1,800 hours every month.

Building for the Future

In 2023, thanks to the fundraising efforts of Josephine Community Library Foundation, our Williams library moved out of the temporary mobile unit where it had been operating without running water since 1977 and into a new building with an expanded collection of books, updated technology and broadband internet, a designated children’s area, a restroom, and a paved parking lot.

Also in 2023, the Foundation secured grants and donations to purchase property for a new downtown Grants Pass library — one full city block, between 6th and 7th Streets, from J Street to K.

In November 2024, our Illinois Valley library hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate its renovation, a partnership between the Library Foundation, the Library District, and the City of Cave Junction. The partnership:

• expanded the library from 4,264 to 5,764 square feet,
• added a community meeting room (capacity 80) with a teaching kitchen,
• added a dedicated restroom in the children’s library,
• enhanced technology, safety, and security; and,
• included more natural lighting, a seismic retrofit, new interior finishes, new ceilings, and a new roof.

Funding to make these library improvements a reality comes from grant funders and donations, not from new or increased taxes. 

The Library Foundation continues to raise money independently, working directly with community members to design the library that Grants Pass needs and deserves.

When our new main branch opens in Grants Pass, it will attract more people to the downtown blocks north of the Rogue River. More businesses and service providers will follow, improving the health of that blighted core and connecting our river to the already-lively blocks around G Street. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2027.

From Williams to Wolf Creek, Illinois Valley to Grants Pass, Josephine Community Library’s new and renovated libraries will ensure that Josephine County residents have access to vital community services at all stages of their lives, and for generations to come.