Remodeling the Downtown Bend Library: Frequently Asked Questions
Posted By: Tina Walker Davis
Date Posted: 12/29/2025
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The Downtown Bend Library will temporarily close for an extensive remodel starting in spring 2026 when the Central Library at Stevens Ranch is ready to open. With administrative functions moving from the Downtown Bend Library to the Central Library at Stevens Ranch, the Downtown Bend Library will be remodeled to increase space for public use. The Downtown Bend Library’s remodel is expected to be complete in spring 2027. Learn more about the remodel at dpl.pub/futuredowntownbend.
Why is the Downtown Bend Library temporarily closing?
In 2020, Deschutes County voters passed a bond to construct new libraries and renovate existing ones in Deschutes County. The Downtown Bend Library is the final library to be renovated using bond funds. The Downtown Bend Library will close temporarily to allow for a comprehensive remodel that will increase the amount of space available to the public while adding public meeting and co-working spaces, a vibrant children’s discovery area, and updated technology and resources throughout. The 38,000-square-foot Downtown Bend Library first opened to the public in 1998, when Bend’s population was 35,000—Bend is now home to more than 100,000 people.
When is it closing?
The Downtown Bend Library will begin shutting down in stages in February 2026:
- February 2, 2026: Second floor closes to the public; books moved to new Central Library.
- February 2– March 7, 2026: First floor open for children’s area, returns and holds pick-up, self-check kiosks, copier/printer, limited seating. Brooks Room has limited adult computer access, limited seating, new and hot adult titles. Study Room available to Thrive, Notary, and SCORE.
- March 9–April 10, 2026: Children’s area closes. Services still available: Returns and holds pick-up, self-check kiosks, copier/printer. Brooks Room has limited adult computer access, limited seating, new and hot adult titles. Study Room available to Thrive, Notary, and SCORE.
- April 10, 2026: Last day of operations at the Downtown Bend Library.
- Spring 2027: Downtown Bend Library reopens to the public.
What are the Downtown Bend Library hours during the transition time?
- February 2–March 7, 2026: Monday–Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
- March 9–April 10, 2026: Monday–Saturday, noon–6:00 p.m.
When will the remodel be done?
We expect the newly remodeled Downtown Bend Library to reopen in late spring 2027.
Will there be a temporary library near the Downtown Bend Library while it is closed?
There will not be a temporary library location downtown while the Downtown Bend Library is being remodeled. Due to cost considerations and logistical issues, the library board decided not to open a temporary location during construction. Other Deschutes Public Library locations will be open during the remodeling of the Downtown Bend Library, including the Central Library at Stevens Ranch (see below), which opens in May.
Does that mean there won’t be another library in Bend for a whole year?
The new Central Library at Stevens Ranch—located at 61956 SE Santorini Street—will open in late May 2026. Drive-thru service at the Central Library is scheduled to begin by April 13, right after the Downtown Bend Library closes, and allows for the return of materials and pick-up of holds. To be notified when the Central Library opens to the public, sign up for “Central Library Updates” at dpl.pub/newsletters.
When both the Downtown Bend Library and the new Central Library at Stevens Ranch are open, the city of Bend will have two libraries to serve their needs: the Central Library at Stevens Ranch (61956 SE Santorini St.) and the Downtown Bend Library (601 NW Wall St.). This will provide roughly 140,000 square feet of library space in Bend, a significant increase from the existing 38,000 square feet.
What happens to holds left on the pick-up shelves when the Downtown Bend Library temporarily closes?
Holds left on the shelves at the Downtown Bend Library will be transferred to the Central Library at Stevens Ranch on April 10. We encourage Downtown Bend Library customers to change their hold pick-up location from the Downtown Bend Library to the library location of their choice before April 1.
What should I do if I have books or other materials to return after the Downtown Bend Library closes?
You can drop off your items at the Central Library at Stevens Ranch starting April 13 (61956 SE Santorini Street, Bend) or at any other Deschutes Public Library location.
What library should I use instead?
You are free to use any library in the Deschutes Public Library system (find locations here). The library’s online resources are open and available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Central Library in east Bend opens in May. How far away is it from the Downtown Bend Library?
By road, the Central Library is approximately four miles southeast of the Downtown Bend Library. While traffic varies by time of day, the drive from the Downtown Bend Library to the Central Library is 12 minutes on average. To get directions to the Central Library on a map app, enter the Central Library address (61956 SE Santorini Street).
I use public transportation. Is there a bus stop at the Central Library at Stevens Ranch?
Cascades East Transit is looking at opportunities to add a bus stop near the Central Library location. At this time, there are bus stops on routes 5 and 6 at Reed Market and 27th Street, approximately 1/2 mile north of the Central Library.
What’s happening to the staff who work at the Downtown Bend Library?
Staff working at the Downtown Bend Library will transfer to another library in the Deschutes Public Library system, including the Central Library at Stevens Ranch. Some of these staff members may return to the Downtown Bend Library when it reopens following its remodel. No one is being laid off.
What’s happening to the books and other materials at the Downtown Bend Library?
Materials at the Downtown Bend Library will go to the Central Library at Stevens Ranch. Deschutes Public Library utilizes a “floating” collection model, which means that most items in the library’s collection can be transferred to other libraries in the system. For example, if a customer who lives in La Pine wants to check out a book that is on the shelves in Sisters, they can place a hold request on that book, and it will be sent to the La Pine Library for the customer to pick up. The centralization of processes and functions at the Central Library at Stevens Ranch means these materials will flow more quickly between library locations.
When the books from the Downtown Bend Library move to the Central Library, will they still be available for me to put on hold?
Books from the Downtown Bend Library will be unavailable as they make their move to the Central Library. These books will be available again by early May.
When the books from the Downtown Bend Library move to the Central Library, will they still be available for me to put on hold?
Books from the Downtown Bend Library will be unavailable as they make their move to the Central Library. These books will be available again by early May.
Will meeting and study rooms be available during this time?
Meeting and study rooms will not be available to the public during the transition out of the Downtown Bend Library. The last day of public use in study and meeting rooms is as follows:
- Brooks Room (first floor): December 31, 2025
- Meyer Classroom (second floor): January 16, 2026
- Hutchinson Room (second floor): January 30, 2026
- Study Rooms (second floor): January 30, 2026
The small study room off the first-floor lobby will be utilized at scheduled times by partner organizations, including Thrive and SCORE, as well as a public notary.
What will happen to the Law Library and legal resources when the second floor of the Downtown Bend Library closes, and then when the library is temporarily closed for a year?
The Law Library laptop will move to the Redmond Library on February 2, when the second floor of the Downtown Bend Library temporarily closes. The Law Library laptop provides access to For the Record and LexisNexis. All other Law Library materials and collections will be moved to the Central Library at Stevens Ranch and will be accessible when that building opens to the public in late May 2026. The Law Library materials and laptop will return to the Downtown Bend Library when that building reopens (following its remodel) in spring 2027. Learn more on our website about legal resources available from the library.
Will interlibrary loans still be available?
The interlibrary loans (ILL) service will be available through January 15. After January 15, ILL service will pause while library staff and centralized processes like ILL transfer to the new Central Library at Stevens Ranch. We anticipate being able to resume ILL service by the fall of 2026.
Can I still suggest a purchase for the library collection?
The Suggest a Purchase form will still be available during the transition out of the Downtown Bend Library; however, purchase suggestions will be limited to four (4) per month per customer.
Will the HomeWord Bound service continue during this time?
HomeWord Bound will also take a brief hiatus while centralized library functions, including HomeWord Bound, transfer from the Downtown Bend Library to the new Central Library. We plan to restart HomeWord Bound service by the fall of 2026.
Are there locations open to the public for respite during extreme weather?
Deschutes County provides a list of locations available to the public during extreme weather events, including winter storms, heat, and smoke. Find the County’s list at https://www.deschutes.org/health/page/extreme-weather-operations. A list of overnight warming shelters in Deschutes County is available at https://cohomeless.org/deschutes-county-overnight-warming-shelters-2024/.