Mrs. Wilkins registered the first library in Cornelius in 1912, which consisted of a single shelf at a local pool room.[2] The Cornelius Women's Civic Club later leased a room at the fire station, and in 1914 the city began taxing residents to pay for the library.[3] The tax rate was increased in 1916 in order to allow the library to expand.[3] A Spanish language program was added in 1984, and the library also closed for a short time in the 1980s due to budget cuts.[3]
In 2010, the library was awarded a $20,000 grant to help design a new building.[4] The city then developed plans for a mix-use project combining a new library building with affordable housing for senior citizens.[5][6] A bond measure to raise $2.4 million for the city's portion of the project was placed on the November 2013 ballot,[7] but did not pass.[8]
After plans for the new library were voted down, the state provided $2.4 million for the project in March 2014.[9] Washington County provided grants totaling just over $1 million to the project in March 2015.[10] Plans for the new library included space for chambers for the city council as well as for 3-D printer.[11] The library introduced adventure packs that consist of themed backpacks with books and other supplies to encourage reading in 2015 after a grant from the Oregon International Airshow.[12] In December 2015, the library received a $500,000 challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities,[13] which was followed by another $500,000 from the 2015-16 Oregon Legislature.[14] The project received a donation of $70,000 from the Walters family in November 2017.[15]