Everyone involved in the effort to expand the Powell Library knows it is going to be a drawn-out process. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be some fun along the way.

At least that’s the attitude projected by Park County Library System Director Karen Horner. 

Almost as soon as Horner stepped into the position, library board chair Pat Stuart and Friends of the Library member Geoff Baumann talked to her about the desire and need for expansion.

The library board, foundation and community members formed a task force to determine what the needs and wants of the residents were for the Powell branch. 

Those needs were pretty clear: more meeting space and room for kids — both the younger ones and those in middle or high school — to hang out and take advantage of the resources available. 

A survey of needs and an engineering report was completed to learn if the building could be remodeled or expanded from its current footprint.

The Park County Commission agreed in October to allow a request for proposals, but has made it clear they are not footing the bill. There is some support for the project at the county level, though. At that October meeting, Commissioner Lee Livingston said, “I was elected eight years ago and the Powell Library was a topic of discussion then; I don’t think it’s going to go away. Powell’s growing and the folks over there want to move forward with this project.”

The simplest idea is adding an additional floor to the building over the existing children’s section. The consultant who completed the needs assessment, Jim Minges, said that was a possibility, considering the structure of the building.

It remains to be seen how much the renovation will cost, but Horner is looking at about $1.2 million. 

“Based on recommendations, we may be able to do this in phases,” she said. “First we could remodel, add a story and fix the roof. Maybe in phase two we expand into the [north] parking lot.”

The price tag will lead to fundraising, and that is where fun ideas come in. Horner talked about multiple ideas, all hinging on the idea of community fundraising to create a community space.

“It is crucial it be community funded,” she said, adding she has overseen fundraising to build libraries in rural towns before.

“We can put cans at the grocery store checkouts, we can ask restaurants to donate 10% of their proceeds on a certain day,” she said. “The library foundation can send out an appeals letter, and we can search for grants and other outside funds.” 

There are grant opportunities out there, Horner said. “But if someone in the community wants to volunteer as a grants writer, we’d love to have them,” she laughed.

And she acknowledges raising slightly over a million bucks is not an overnight project.

“It may take longer than we expect, but in the end we will provide a better library here in Powell,” Horner added. 

Plans are for the proposals to be in hand by April 12. Those involved will then select four or five proposals and have the companies come in and go through an interview process of sorts. After that, when the estimated costs are known, the fundraising will begin in earnest.

(CJ Baker contributed reporting.)