FRENCHTOWN — Faced with a budget shortfall, the Missoula Public Library is looking at cuts that could change the fate of Frenchtown's only community library.
The ongoing discussion has MPL weighing a variety of options. In fiscal year 2026, the library's expenditures exceeded revenue by roughly $200,000, but library leaders want to save even more.
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"We're trying to compensate for around $400,000 of a shortfall that we've had," Slaven Lee, the library's director, said.
MPL's board of trustees held a meeting last week to evaluate a list of proposed service reductions that include opening the main branch at 10 a.m. daily as opposed to 9 a.m., or closing Missoula's main library on Sundays.
"Losing an entire Sunday at the main location feels very hard, especially for families," Lee said.
Other options include closing public access to the Frenchtown branch altogether or cutting the operating hours there in half, going from 20 hours to 10.
"I think that is better than nothing," Ryann Rugg, Frenchtown High School's librarian, told MTN.
The options for Frenchtown would significantly impact access to the community's only library.
"I would prefer our library continue with the 20 hour schedule, but I do understand that budgets are tight," Rugg added.
MPL leaders said they would look into ways to accommodate Frenchtown if the branch is impacted.
"If we had to close or reduce hours in Frenchtown, we'll find other ways to serve Frenchtown residents," Lee said. "It just wouldn't be through that physical location. So as an example, some people really love to pick up library books that they've requested from other libraries all over the state. We could deliver those holds using our bookmobile."
The public uses Frenchtown's library for other resources too.
"They have access to two computers that are located in the library, and they use the Internet," Rugg said. "They may send out job applications, check taxes."
The high school library would remain in what is currently a shared space with the community.
“So our space would not go away," Rugg explained. "The opportunities that would go away is the ability for the community to come and use this space as a gathering area."
MPL eliminating community library access completely would result in one layoff, the librarian staffed by MPL, with immediate savings of nearly $50,000.
"She would end up losing her position," Rugg said.
However, a possible mill levy is also on the table.
"We're very in the preliminary stages of looking at that, but if voters approved to give more tax dollars to the library, we would see changes probably six months to a year after that," Lee said.
The library's focus right now is on the proposed service reductions.
Another option being weighed is to close the main library on Mondays from 6-8 p.m. which is estimated to save $14,000. Those savings would not be immediate.
"They're tough cuts regardless of which one the board might choose," Lee added.
The public will know more on the direction MPL is taking after their meeting on Nov. 18. You can visit their website for more information.
