The Pioneer Library System was established in September of 1993 with funds granted by the Oregon State Library under the Library Services and Construction Act and was expanded in 1996 through another LSCA grant and by contributions from the Union County Commissioners and each participating institution. The libraries participating at this time were Eastern Oregon University’s Pierce Library, Baker County Public Library, and La Grande Public Library.

In October of 2000, the Pioneer Library System submitted a $1,077,953 grant proposal to the Meyer Memorial Trust. The project’s goal was to improve access to information and library services for the citizens and libraries of eastern Oregon through the merging of the libraries’ holdings databases and the development of a universal borrower’s card for all eastern Oregonians. We received $750,000 from Meyer Memorial Trust on December 1, 2000 in the form of a challenge grant, $50,000 from the Collins Foundation on February 22, 2001, and $227,953 from the Ford Family Foundation on May 21, 2001. While we had a grant proposal out for the last $50,000 needed for the project, on June 19, 2001, Innovative Interfaces submitted a revised quote which incorporated all elements of the original quote but decreased the total amount for the Innovative system, having recognized the uniqueness of the proposal and desiring the success of a 70 member, multi-type library consortium. Innovative Interfaces worked closely with the Pioneer Library system throughout the grant process, extending quote deadlines, project timelines, and providing valuable advice.

With the necessary funding received, the project began immediately. Over the next several months agreements were signed, profiling and data conversion took place, the merging of databases from three nodes was performed, new equipment and software was installed, and training on the new system took place. T

he week of November 13, 2001 was a landmark in the Pioneer Library system with new sites beginning live circulation in the newly created joint catalog. The patron-initiated requesting of materials from other libraries was refined, borrowing/lending policies were developed between participating libraries, and a courier system was birthed for the movement of items.

The courier’s stability was threatened when the carrier’s market changed and interim LSTA funding was received to keep the courier going while funding models are investigated.

In January, 2004, the LSTA funded Pioneer 4 grant began which would add 7 libraries and their branches to the Pioneer Library System over two years. The majority of these libraries were non-automated. This brought the number of libraries to 76, spanning 11 counties in Eastern Oregon. In July 2005 the Pioneer Council voted to rename the catalog Sage and the consortial entity Sage Library System of Eastern Oregon.

Due to tight budgets, over the next few years, Sage lost some ILL partners. In December 2010, the Sage libraries migrated to the open-source library software Evergreen with funding received from LSTA, Wildhorse, and the Collins Foundation. More libraries joined the Sage system in 2010 and 2011.

As of October, 2011, there are 77 member libraries in 15 counties.