Your Library Needs Your Voice

Public libraries are critical in a representative democracy. They contribute to a healthy discourse by:

1. Informing citizens

2. Promoting information literacy

3. Reducing or eliminating barriers to access

4. Protecting our Constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of speech

5. Offering an antidote to the commercialization of information

Because they are so important to our model of government, Montana state laws provide for the “establishment, adequate financing, and effective administration of free public libraries”.

Public libraries are fundamentally different from private libraries, volunteer-run libraries and school libraries, because they are supported by taxes, governed by a statutory board, open to all, not compulsory, provide services without charge, and are staffed by professional librarians.

Nationally, over 80% of funding for public libraries is local, with less than 10% of funding coming from state, federal and private funding.

At ImagineIF Libraries, 87% of their annual operating budget comes from local property taxes, with only 9% coming from State funding and 4% coming from private funders like the Foundation.

Private funds can’t and shouldn’t replace public funding. Because public libraries play a critical role in protecting your First Amendment rights, it’s vital that funding for professional staff, collections, and adequate operations not be left up to or influenced by donors.

Because public libraries need public funding to thrive, they fall behind when local governments don’t invest enough to keep up with the demand for services.

Flathead County Library's public budget was virtually flat between 2017 and 2023, even as population and demand for services in the Flathead Valley grow. As a result, Flathead County Library suffers budget constraints that limit programs, staffing, open hours, collection development and, critically, the development of adequate facilities, that other libraries around Montana do not face.

Per Capita Funding:

ImagineIF Libraries: $21.21

MT Peer Library Average: $26.34

US Peer Library Average: $44.75

Flathead County Library is also the only comparably sized public library system in Montana that has not owned purpose designed facilities. Since the County system formed in 1942, our libraries have always operated out of borrowed or rented spaces, meaning there’s no room to grow and accessibility can be limited. The exception to this is the new Bigfork Library, paid for with all private dollars and turned over to Flathead County for free. The Columbia Falls and Kalispell branches are all undersized for the populations they serve.

There are three types of decision makers who have power over what kind of libraries we enjoy:

1. The Flathead County Commissioners, a group of 3 elected officials who set the total annual public funds the library receives and appoint citizens to the Library’s Board of Trustees.

2. The Library’s Board of Trustees, a group of 5 appointed volunteers who establish and manage the library’s budget, establish library policies, and hire the Library Director. This group is also responsible for communicating the library’s needs to our elected County Commissioners.

3. The Library Director, a paid professional who works with the Trustees to create and follow a strategic plan, adhere to policies and oversee the library staff. The director is also responsible for ensuring the libraries meet public standards for the state of Montana.

There is also a fourth decision-maker: YOU. At every level of library governance you can have a say in what kind of library services you receive, from how you vote in County elections, to your participation in County and Trustee meetings, to your input and comments at the libraries. Public libraries belong to the public, and there is a long history of ordinary citizens shaping and driving the establishment and improvement of libraries through their advocacy.

The Foundation engages citizens and elected officials at the local level to support and sustain public investment in the library. Our mission is to support and enhance our public Flathead County Library, and ensuring a strong level of public investment in libraries is central to that mission. Advocacy is an important part of what many non-profits do, alongside education and fundraising.

Our advocacy aims to give you, the citizen, the tools and information you need to show your elected officials how much you value public libraries.