Citing rising costs and changes to funding models, the Rocky Mountain House Public Library is asking Rocky Mountain House town council for a boost.

A library delegation appearing before council Oct. 20 requested $224,350 from the town in 2027.

A letter from the delegation says an equal amount will also be requested from Clearwater County, bringing total municipal contributions to $448,700.

That represents a four per cent increase over the 2026 budget and a 25 per cent increase over the 2025 budget.

Library board chair Lori Pratt says the library provides an indispensable community service, supporting literacy while offering access to educational programs, public computers and other services.

She adds that recent return on investment (ROI) calculations show a return of $4 for every $1 invested.

While acknowledging the library’s contributions to the community, Coun. Ken Moesker questioned the $90,000 budget increase over two years.

Moesker suggested the library look for additional private funding sources beyond municipal purses.

Library manager Ben Worth outlined a number of budget challenges including the continued fallout from provincial funds formerly available to the Rocky Library that are now being funneled to the newly formed Clearwater County Library Board (CCLB).

“It puts us in an awkward position — we love libraries,” Pratt said.

While Pratt supports library access for residents in communities such as Caroline and Nordegg, the loss of rural library funding continues to have budget implications for Rocky.

Despite outreach efforts, Pratt says the CCLB intends to retain the full amount of provincial funding again this year.

In 2025, the funding change prompted the library to request $46,000 in emergency funding to shore up its budget.