Lunch at the library

3930 NE Hancock St.

You thought you were going to the library. But now you're at a bakery. What's happening?

Well, for 43 years, this building was a library. The Rose City Park Library outgrew its original location at 1236 Sandy Road. This spurred the construction of a new library building at NE 39th and Hancock. It opened in April 1959. Two months later, the library board renamed it the Hollywood Library. By the 1990s it was evident that the Hollywood branch was again outgrowing its quarters. In 2002, the library moved again, just a few blocks away, to 41st and Tillamook.

This film was shot around 1960. The soundtrack is not available, but it seems to be highlighting the Modernist design of the building. The style emphasizes a streamlined form that supports the function of the building as a library. This is exhibited in the clean lines, open floor plan, large windows, and understated decorative choices. 

Next Stop:

Albina Library at 216 NE Knott St.

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