Whitefish community library - our facility and our future

Whitefish founded a city library in the 1930s, and our community has been passionate about maintaining quality library service ever since. In 1976, the city of Whitefish contracted with the Flathead County Library System (FCLS) to provide library services in our library facility by way of an interlocal agreement.

At the time this relationship started, it was believed that there were benefits to be derived by the libraries in the valley, having common management and access to broader library resources, both within the valley and throughout the state. Potentially, any Whitefish library user could have access to any book in the system and also access to the statewide library resources.

During these 34 years, the Whitefish library evolved from a simple operation within City Hall to the substantial new facility that both tax dollars and private donations created in 1998. The Whitefish library is both unique and spacious for a community of its size.

It is a remarkable statement of how important we believe a quality library is to our community. The number of patrons who use the facility every day demonstrates how valuable the library is to this community.

Unfortunately, over the last 5-6 years the goals and objectives of the FCLS board of trustees and management have taken a different course than what we believe is best for our library. Several attempts have been made to identify the differences and seek solutions, but none have been successful.

It should be noted that, as well as the Whitefish staff providing outstanding service to our community, many excellent FCLS staff have also worked hard on Whitefish's behalf and all deserve our thanks.

At a meeting with the Whitefish City Council last week, an ad-hoc library study committee, comprised of several former FCLS trustees from Whitefish and other library volunteers, presented their findings generated from a six-month long study. The study was initiated as a result of many community members expressing growing concern about library issues.

In summary, the study committee found nine significant problems or differences between FCLS and the Whitefish library. In addition, the group also detailed five options for the city council to consider relative to the future management and operation of the city library. The committee collected and analyzed all the information gathered, evaluated current and future revenues and costs, and summarized their findings.

In the end, the committee recommended to the city council that the current interlocal agreement be terminated and that the city of Whitefish resume management and control of the library facility. The committee was very confident that the same services (provided by the same excellent Whitefish staff) and access to statewide library book and media collections that we currently enjoy can be maintained by Whitefish reverting to a city library and joining the same statewide collection consortium that FCLS is currently a member of.

This change in operation would not cost the Whitefish city taxpayers any additional money than they are now paying, provided the county forward to Whitefish the library tax receipts currently collected within the city boundaries. It is interesting to note that statewide the vast majority of all libraries are stand-alone community libraries. These are the norm, while multi-branch systems 'such as FCLS) are the exception.

This transition should be a win-win for both FCLS and Whitefish. It allows both parties to move forward and end the issues and problems that continue to plague them, and move toward a more cooperative relationship. It allows both parties to plan and operate their library facilities and programs to best meet the needs of their respective patrons. There is no financial advantage or disadvantage to having the libraries go their separate way.

For Whitefish, this is clearly the best alternative for our library today and into the future. A Whitefish library board will be responsive to our community and will be able to guide the library in delivery of services to our patrons. With new and ever expanding technology, our library will continue to operate at the forefront in terms of delivering all library materials and services from across the state, across the country, and even globally.

Please encourage our city council to help make this positive transition a reality in the near future. Members of the ad-hoc library committee stand ready to help.

Michael Collins is a member of the Whitefish Ad Hoc Library Committee.