The Browning Branch Library

Address: 9 2nd St NW Browning, MT 59417 United States 

             Glacier County

The Browning Branch Library served the community of Browning up until the Covid-19 Pandemic Shutdown.  According to notes, I took from one meeting of the Glacier County Library Board, the library had been closed for the pandemic.  While closed during the pandemic, the building was left unattended for long periods of time.   A water line burst and flooded inside the building. This flood was happening inside the building and no one knew it was happening because no one was checking up on the building. The Browning Public Library then had to be closed because of the damage done by the flood of water. When the flooding was discovered, maintenance was called and an insurance claim was made. 

This insurance claim was made over two years ago and there haven't been any improvements made. A company was utilized to clean up the damage at the beginning of the problem. This company had left large fans inside the building to dry the building out and that's as far as that got. I asked the Glacier Library Board Members questions about the expenses and I was told they don't know because no one has gotten back to them about costs. However, I asked this question a few months ago and this problem began over two years ago.  A board member tried to explain the situation and stated that this cleaning company charged the Glacier Library $50,000.00 for their services and that bill has yet to be resolved.

Two years have passed and the flooding problem evolved into mold growing inside the building.  Someone attempted to clean the mold and found that the building has asbestos contamination. From my understanding, the Browning Branch Library will be closed for a long time because the library board and library director have not received any kind of communication from the insurance company to find out what they need to do to proceed with repairs of the building.  

Even though the Glacier Library Board knows this much, there is no plan to tear this building down and build something better.  The intention of the Glacier County Library Board is to spend money to repair the building and open it to the Browning Community.  It's scary to think that this building will open with its unsafe health hazards.