On June 22, 1909, The Seattle Public Library opened a small branch library in the main room of Columbia City Hall. The Board of Public Works provided the room rent-free. The restroom was in the furniture store across the unpaved street, over the double tracks of the railroad.
In 1911, philanthropist Andrew Carnegie gave the Library $70,000 to build two branch libraries. In 1912, a site was chosen for the Columbia Branch and was purchased with $2,500 in money collected by community members and $2,000 from the city. The Columbia Branch opened Dec. 30, 1915.
The original 6,825-square-foot branch, which opened in 1915, is a Carnegie-funded branch designed by W. Marbury Somervell and Harlan Thomas. It was upgraded in 1986. The branch is in the Columbia City Landmark District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The expanded branch now has: