The new Redmond Library, opened in January, cuts an imposing figure: Two stories of glass, wood and steel comprise a 40,000-square-foot facility that generates all its own energy, conserves water and has a lower carbon footprint compared to other buildings of its size. And for all that, the new downtown facility on SW Deschutes Avenue is earning regional and national awards in sustainability.
In its September edition, “American Libraries,” the magazine of the American Library Association, named the Redmond Library among its 2025 “most impressive new and renovated libraries,” giving it a nod for “superior sustainability.”
“The new Redmond Library prioritizes openness, adaptability, and sustainability,” the magazine wrote. “Large flowing spaces, mobile shelving, and configurable furniture invite multiple uses, while creative labs range from podcasting suites to study rooms.”
“We’re happy to find that this new library has quickly become a cornerstone for the community,” Deschutes Public Library Director Todd Dunkelberg wrote in a press release announcing the honor. “It offers spaces that support discovery, learning and connection, all while minimizing environmental impact.”
The downtown Redmond space also garnered recognition from the East Cascade Association of Realtors, which honored the library with a 2025 Building a Better Oregon Award. The awards recognize those who have “enhanced their community with outstanding new or renovated buildings/spaces.” Winners receive recognition for “economic impact, neighborhood improvement, unique design or materials, and environmental friendliness.”
Construction of the new Redmond Library began in February 2023, following a $195 million voter-approved bond passed in November 2020. Building the $43 million space involved tearing down the old library and opening a temporary facility to continue to serve the community. That temporary facility closed in mid-December, and the new Redmond facility opened to the public on January 27. In addition to books and computers, inside is a unique, interactive Children’s Space, custom artwork, ample meeting rooms and a maker’s space complete with a 3D printer, sewing machines and various tools.
The 2020 Library Bond funds have been used to build or improve libraries across Deschutes County, including updating libraries in La Pine, Sisters and Sunriver, constructing a new Central Library at Stevens Ranch in east Bend and updating the Downtown Bend Library. The Bend projects are ongoing.
This article appears in the Source October 9, 2025.
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