The earliest Athena Public Library opened its doors on November 18, 1914, with Anna (Mrs. William) Littlejohn as librarian.

Early volunteer directors of the library included Mrs. Marvel Watts, Mrs F.S. LeGrow, Mrs Henry Dell, Mrs. Anna Foss, and Areta Barrett. For many years, the library shared space with the telephone company switchboard in the building next to the bank -- what is now Somewhere in Time. One long-time user recalls that it was "dark and dreary."

The present location's property was deeded in 1958 under the will of Vernita Watts Adams and the Foster family to the City of Athena with the proviso that the property always be designated for library use, or it would revert to subsequent heirs. The old library's front room was built with community donations and monies from contributions made in memorials and in wills; the back room was added with funding from the Watts Foundation.

In spring 2007, the library was cleared out to prepare for summer's demolition of the old building and start-up construction of a new facility, which was completed in June 2008 and opened in July. The building project was spearheaded by the Athena Library Friends Association (ALFA) in accord with the guidelines of City Council resolution 2006-1. A temporary library was set up for just over a year adjacent to City Hall in the old ambulance bay.

The new 2008 library building more than triples available useful space, has energy efficient fixtures and mechanicals, meets American Disability Act requirements, provides staff and volunteer work space, includes a meeting room, and has separate children's, young adult, and local history areas.

In the late 1970s, Athena agreed to become part of a consortium of libraries under the Umatilla County Special Library District (UCSLD). That consortium includes the libraries in Weston, Milton-Freewater, Ukiah, Adams, Helix, Pendleton, Pilot Rock, Heppner, Ione, Stanfield.

UCSLD is a taxing entity and administers direct funding to each contracted city for employee salaries and operating expenses. Each city contributes a percentage of the overall library budget for building maintenance and purchases. The UCSLD also provides support services and special programming assistance, such as cataloguing books for each library, coordination of the inter-library loan service, a courier service, and a monthly storyteller visit. Additional help is derived from grants and donations.

The Library Director, Carrie Bremer, is a City of Athena employee. Librarian predecessors have included Anna Littlejohn, Blanche Hodgen, Wuanita Taylor, Shireen Betts, and Delores Sheard.

Special programming at the library includes a preschool storytime from September through May, a summer reading program for elementary school age children, and an annual book sale and an open house under the aegis of the Library Board. Programs in the new facility are expanding to include rotating displays of community heritage and agricultural history, local artist and artisan exhibits, reading groups, expanded volunteer opportunities, teen and young adult topics, genealogical research techniques, craft classes, lectures from the Oregon Council for the Humanities Chatauqua program, author readings and book signings, and a host of other activities and events.

Books not in the Athena library collection can often be found in other libraries throughout the state and obtained via inter-library loan. The new facility will be automated with assistance from UCSLD by the end of 2008, with card holders then able to use their library card at all libraries in the UCSLD area as well as in other eastern Oregon libraries that are part of the SAGE system.

The library has public access computers internet access (emails, research) with wireless hookups facilitated through an agreement with the Athena-Weston School District. The new facility will add computers in 2008-2010.