Klamath Falls, Oregon – A library card in Klamath County can now open the door to more than books. For local residents hoping to spend a day outdoors, it can also take care of the parking fee at Oregon’s state parks.
The Klamath County Library is now offering Oregon State Parks Day-Use Parking Permits for checkout, giving eligible patrons another low-cost way to explore destinations across the state. Adult patrons with a full-service library card can borrow one of the library’s three permits for up to seven days.
The permits are part of a partnership between Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, or OPRD, and the State Library of Oregon. Under the program, 200 parking permits are being distributed through 82 public libraries across Oregon.
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Participating libraries were able to receive as many as four permits. Klamath County Library has three available for patrons.
The process is straightforward. A library cardholder checks out a physical parking permit, which comes as a hang tag. When visiting a state park, the tag is placed on the vehicle’s rearview mirror.
One permit covers day-use parking for one vehicle at Oregon State Parks any day of the week. While Oregon has more than 250 state parks, the permit is only necessary at locations that normally charge a day-use parking fee.
The pass does not pay for overnight camping, special-event registration, tours or other fees beyond day-use parking. Visitors planning activities at a park can review individual event information through the Oregon State Parks events calendar.
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The broader goal is to remove a small but real financial barrier for people who want to visit Oregon’s parks. Of Oregon’s 136 public libraries, 82 requested permits through the current program. Some libraries already provide park passes, while others did not have systems in place to circulate them.
Funding comes from multiple sources. OPRD receives money from the Oregon State Lottery and visitor fees, while the State Library used Library Services and Technology Act funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. The agencies are also considering donations and sponsorships as possible ways to support a larger, long-term program.
For Klamath County residents, the immediate opportunity is much simpler: check out a permit, hang it in the vehicle and turn a library visit into a day at an Oregon state park.
