How is the Brainerd Public Library funded?

• Kitchigami Regional Library System was formed by a joint powers agreement that brings together the signatory cities and counties and defines the roles of each in contributing to public library services in Beltrami, Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard, and Wadena counties, and the cities of Bemidji, Blackduck, Brainerd, Cass Lake, Longville, Park Rapids, Pine River, Walker, and Wadena.

• KRLS is governed by a board composed of one representative of each of those counties/cities. 

• KRLS, cities, and counties share fiscal responsibility for libraries in the following ways: 

  • Cities: Own library facilities, take care of facility maintenance/capital costs, levy funding for KRLS to operate libraries.

  • Counties: Levy funding to take on costs of libraries not paid by the cities as well as mobile library services in that county.

  • KRLS: Staffs and operates libraries using the funding provided by cities and counties; staffs and operates central HQ services using funding provided from other sources (federal, state, endowment income, etc.).

• Cities and counties who levy taxes for regional library systems are mandated to meet the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) minimum set by the state, relative to the amount that was levied in 2011 for the library (90% of 2011 levy amount).