BIGFORK — Years of hard work and dedication came to a culmination Tuesday morning when the new ImagineIF Library officially opened its doors in Bigfork.
“It’s an amazing accomplishment for our little city of Bigfork, Montana,” said Bigfork resident Jim Nelson.
A project seven years in the making has reached the finish line.
“We believe that great communities have great libraries and finally this great community has its great library,” said ImagineIF Library Foundation Executive Director Sara Busse.
At 6,300 square feet, the new Bigfork Library is more than six times bigger than theold library. Busse said this modern-day library helps usher Bigfork into the current multimedia landscape.
“We know that literacy is the number one goal for a library, we receive literacy in lots of different ways now in the 21st century and this is a library that’s going to be able to meet those goals,” said Busse.
Thanks to hundreds of donations the Bigfork Library Capital Campaign reached its fundraising goal of $3.2 million.
“Some people gave $5, and some people gave $500, and some people gave $5,000, so it’s everybody and it’s everybody’s place,” said Nelson.
Jim Nelson and Nancy Ballsrud have lived in Bigfork for more than two decades and have campaigned hard and donated funding to make this new library a reality.
Nelson said the new building will serve the greater Bigfork community for generations to come.
“In a time of increasing time around screens and spending time alone, this is a place for gathering whether you’re old or young or a veteran or any member of the community, somebody looking for a job, somebody who doesn’t have internet service at home, somebody who wants to be in an environment that’s invigorating and stimulating, so it means a lot to us,” said Nelson.
