A rendering by Lever Architecture shows plans for the new exterior of the North Portland Library.

Another brick in Multnomah County Library’s plan for expansions and renovations throughout the county, two north Portland libraries and one more project are slated to close for expansion work in March.

Albina Library is slated for closures beginning March 18 for its renovation and expansion. Isom Operations Center is also closed beginning March 18 for renovation work. The North Portland Library will close beginning April 5.

Vailey Oehlke is the director of libraries with the Multnomah County Library.

“Multnomah County Library is in the midst of a profound transformation for the communities it serves,” Oehlke said. “As Albina and North Portland are both historic Carnegie libraries, we’re excited to update these buildings for a modern era while maintaining their classic integrity. And we’re pleased to do this work alongside the community every step of the way.”

The expansion of the Albina Library, located at 216 N.E. Knott St., includes keeping its historic Carnegie structure but adding four times the square footage for a total of 30,000 square feet. The new space will include an outdoor community courtyard, large meeting rooms, a more diverse collection for books including a Spanish language collection, four study rooms, a teen room, updated technology and new art representing the community.

Isom Operations Center, connected to the Albina Library, is home to services and support library operations, which will be relocated to other facilities during the renovation. When completed, slated for November 2023, plans include a new efficient operations center and the new home for library administration offices.

This will make it one of the largest libraries in the county, according to Multnomah County Libraries.

The North Portland Library’s expansion plans include an additional 1,500 square feet of space, which will be used to highlight the history and diversity of the community with a Black Cultural Center, outdoor space, diverse book collection, updated technology and new art.

All three projects are slated for completion in 2024.