Flathead County Library Launches Capital Campaign Feasibility Study

The Flathead County Library has launched a $13 million capital campaign feasibility study for a proposed new library building to be relocated from its current facility on First Avenue East where it has been housed for 57 years.

Partnering with consulting group BrandRaise, LLC, the five-month Capital Campaign Readiness Study is designed to garner community feedback related to the proposed project and assess the philanthropic capacity to support a $13 million capital campaign. Additional funding includes county savings, grants and public-private partnerships.

The new library is currently estimated to cost up to $28 million, drawing from multiple sources that include a dedicated county fund, which totaled $750,000 as of last month, $50,000 in grants, a committed Foundation Seed Grant totaling $200,000 and a potential bond of up to $14 million.

Officials estimate $3 million will be needed for land purchase and up to $25 million for construction of a roughly 50,000-square-foot building. Additional grants and funding are being pursued, and officials hope to break ground in 2030.

As the lease expiration date approaches in 2033 at its current location inside the School District 5 building, library officials have been working for decades to identify a new space as the current building’s infrastructure has reached the end of its functional limits. Outdated heating, cooling and plumbing systems continue to deteriorate as moisture and water intrusion damage interior walls and spaces.

The facility’s 50-year-old elevator has become increasingly expensive, costing more than $50,000 in the past two years as demand for services grows.

As northwest Montana’s population grows, the Flathead County Library’s registered cardholders also grew from 34,302 in 2022 to 43,704 in July 2026, which includes many cardholders who live outside of Kalispell.

“You can see there’s a steady increase,” Flathead County Library Director Teri Dugan last month told commissioners at a public meeting. “More and more people are wanting to use the library.”

Library directors, trustees, county officials, board members and volunteers have been outlining a vision for the new library building for the past 30 years as issues surrounding property locations and funding have become primary barriers.

“This library has served Flathead County for over 130 years,” Flathead County Library Board Chair David Ingram said. “Now it’s our turn to build a new hub that continues to connect and support our communities. We want to hear from you.”

Library officials have been in conversations with SHOP Development, the company that purchased the Kalispell Center Mall in 2024 and rebranded it the Parkline District, to house the library in the northwest corner of the property’s 22 acres in the municipality’s downtown.

The Texas-based developers are currently seeking money through the city’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds to help support the project, which includes potential plans that feature an event venue, mixed-use retail and a new hotel.

But the company’s commitment to the library has not been confirmed, and Dugan last month said the library sent a letter of intent to SHOP Development and they have not yet received a response.

“In the meantime, we’ll continue to wait and we’re looking at all of our options,” Dugan said.  

As part of the Campaign Readiness Study, dozens of interviews will be conducted with community members, past donors, business leaders and foundations who make up the Study Summit will meet in early October. The public is encouraged to submit feedback through a digital survey to be completed by Oct. 9.

The study will help outline the best fundraising strategy, identify leadership, evaluate the economic climate and cultivate prospective stakeholders.

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