The cramped Cortez Municipal Library has come a long way from its humble beginnings in the dingy basement room of a school gymnasium 70 years ago, but has at least twice as far to grow just to catch up with the current population, according to Library Director Joanie Howland.

And even further if it’s to stay ahead of the curve.

Plans are now evolving to expand the present 8,000-square-foot structure built 30 years ago, Howland explained recently, with the central question still unanswered: How much new library can the city afford?

The state library recommends 0.8 square feet for each person served by a local library, she explained, which means its size would have to be more than doubled to provide for the county’s 22,000 residents; however, economic-development experts predict an increase to 35,000 by 2020, so a 28,000-square-foot library would provide room enough to meet the needs of the coming decades.

The costs for new library construction run $100 per square foot, though, and remodeling the existing structure will be $60 a square foot, she said, and $1.5 million in city funds and grants is all that is currently budgeted for the projects. This would allow the total size of the project to be about 18,000 square feet, or just above the 17,600 square feet called for in the formula.

"That’s good enough for our present population," she said, "but too small for the future."

So Howland is calling on local businesses, civic organizations and concerned individuals to contribute to the effort, and promises in return to recognize donors of over $100 in perpetuity.

Donations of over $100 will be recognized through a plaque or brick at the library entrance, she explained, and depending on the final design donors of large sums may "buy" an entire room at $100 per square foot. (For example, a 20X20 square-foot room would cost $40,000.)

And then for the super-rich person there is always the option —for a cool $1 million — of having the entire library named for her or him.

Howland reminds donors that their contributions can be doubled or tripled by through additional grants that have been applied for and depend on a local match. Anyone with questions or wishing to make a donation can call Howland at 565-8117.