County provides library funding

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Libraries within Wheatland County are receiving funding from the county, which is providing this year’s library base grant to the Marigold Library System.

A total of $44,670 provides guaranteed operating funding to the seven libraries in the system located within the boundaries of Wheatland County.

Each library in the county yields $15 per cardholder per year for the grant.

Across six physical libraries there were 1,778 cardholders, accounting for $26,670 payable to Marigold. Strathmore had the greatest number of cardholders (1,001), followed by Carseland (281), Standard (167), Gleichen and District (151), Hussar (100) and then Rockyford (78).

In addition, Wheatland County provides a $8,000 base grant to both the Carseland Community Library and the Gleichen and District Library, as well as $2,000 to the Rosebud Paperback Deposit, which does not net a per-cardholder payment.

The contributions will be funded from the county’s library reserve fund, which is funded by the community enhancement levy, as directed by the county’s Community Enhancement Regional Board.