Community discusses site for larger Bigfork library

A larger library for Bigfork is on the horizon.

About 35 community members attended a meeting Monday night in Bigfork to discuss their hopes for the future site of a new ImagineIF Library branch in Bigfork.

A new library building for Bigfork is part of the 2014 facilities master plan for the Flathead County Library system, now known as ImagineIF Libraries. 

The plan states that Kalispell, Columbia Falls and Bigfork all need new and expanded facilities to meet the present and future demands for library services. 

Though the library facilities were examined in 2003 and 2007, they were never updated. According to the facilities master plan, despite a 60 percent population increase in Flathead County in the past 24 years, the amount of library space in the county has remained the same since 1990.

ImagineIF Library director Kim Crowley said that while at one point they considered trying to do all three new buildings at once, now the focus is on Bigfork.

“What we want to do is focus on Bigfork right now,” Crowley said. “It’s in the most dire need of more space.”

The current Bigfork branch of ImagineIF Libraries is housed in the Bigfork Cultural Center downtown and is about 1,440 square feet. 

Square footage recommended for the new Bigfork Library is about 6,200 square feet.

While the Bigfork staff does the best they can, the library is just too small, Crowley said.

“There’s no room to provide the programming we provide in Kalispell and Columbia Falls,” she said.

While a new library is definitely needed, Crowley said before they can move forward, they first have to figure out where the library will go.

Community members at the meeting suggested general ideas for what the site should have, and threw out a few suggestions of properties for the library to look into.

Most people agreed the new library should be in a central location that can be easily and safely reached by students walking from Bigfork Schools. 

Adequate parking, outdoor space and a meeting room or community space in the library were also items wanted by a majority of the group. 

While suggestions for a two-story library were tossed about, Crowley said they would like to keep the structure to one story. Two story libraries are more expensive to build and harder to staff, she said.

As well as making sure the library is an accessible and fun place for kids, the group also hoped it could be the same for senior citizens, and a gathering place for everyone in the community.

Crowley said they hope to have the site for the new library identified by September. Once that happens, she said a full timeline for the project will likely follow in a couple of months.

Another hurdle that will still have to be faced after that is funding.

“We don’t know how we’re going to fund this yet,” Crowley said. 

The consultants who drew up the facilities plan estimated a new library for Bigfork would cost around $2 million.

“We haven’t vetted that at all yet,” Crowley said. A portion of the project would be likely be paid by public funds, and another portion by the Library Foundation, Crowley said.

Crowley said a larger library may not require increased staff. Changes in library technology and automation have done a lot over the years to free up library staffs time for other activities she said.

While the need and eagerness is there for the new Bigfork library, Crowley said they can’t do anything until the site is determined. She appreciated the input from the Bigfork community on the matter. 

“It’s just important to know what the community wants,” Crowley said. “I’m just really happy at how many people showed up tonight. It’s their library.”