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Flathead County library reports higher weekend program attendance, aging elevator and facility needs
Summary
Library director reported a surge in weekend programming attendance, lower recent security incidents, an aging elevator with replacement estimates, and a potential opportunity to secure roughly 2.13 acres at the redeveloped mall as an anchor site.
Terry (library director) told the commissioners that the Flathead County library is seeing increased demand for weekend programming, with one recent Saturday program drawing about 80 children and prompting staff to consider expanding weekend offerings.
On security, Terry said the library’s contracted security firm (Alert) has reduced incidents over the past two months and maintains both a paper incident binder and a digital database. Trustee Dave Ingram reported the camera system approved last year has helped staff and police follow through on trespass actions and that the board will consider adding cameras to close identified blind spots.
Facilities concerns include an elevator built in the 1970s that failed for about 24 hours; technicians installed a salvaged starter but recommend modernization. Library staff presented two cost estimates: about $50,000–$60,000 for a partial modernization and about $125,000 for a full restoration. Terry said repeated elevator outages would disrupt the library’s role as a regional materials hub, and staff are considering contingency plans (coordination with the school district’s side entrance) while balancing investment in a building the library does not own.
The library board is also reviewing a letter of intent from SHOP Development offering an opportunity to secure approximately 2.13 acres in a planned redevelopment of the old Center Street Mall as an anchor site for a future library location; Terry said the board is considering a nonbinding response and will share the letter with county staff for situational awareness.
The board asked for the letter to be routed to county staff (Pete) for review. Terry and trustees also discussed fire-suppression and emergency lighting upgrades (1970s-era systems) slated for replacement this year, and expressed continuing attention to balancing capital needs with longer-term location planning.
Terry and trustees ended by thanking commissioners for their ongoing board-level support.
