EBS STAFF
On Friday, April 3, the Belgrade Community Library will celebrate one year since its move to a new Main Street location after 93 years, which enabled “unprecedented growth and modern innovation,” according to a City of Belgrade press release.
The celebration will run 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. including live music, an egg hunt, fire truck and police car tours, “wildlife encounters” from Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary, arts and crafts, and a food truck rally.
The new library site, a former fire station, has seen more than double the previous facility’s foot traffic, including 13, 241 visits in a single peak month. The library averages over 1,000 program participants every 30 days, according to the release, which noted the library’s newfound identity as “the region’s premier hub for lifelong learning.”
“This building represents the past, present, and future of Belgrade,” Library Director Alina Prunean stated in the release. “We are evolving far beyond a place for books. We are a center for connection, creativity, and community health.”
More information about the library, including its new resources and programs, is available on its website. The release thanked many partners for making the library’s transformation possible: Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, Montana State University, Central Valley Fire District, Gallatin City-County Health Department, WildArts, Humanities Montana, 45 Architecture & Interiors, Belgrade High School and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. The release also thanked more than a dozen “generous sponsors,” and families and businesses.
