there were several small libraries serving bozeman beginning with the young men's library association in 1872, which was housed above a drug store on east main street. a tax-supported city library opened in 1891 on the second floor of the city hall and opera house. in 1903-1904, the bozeman carnegie library was built on north bozeman avenue, also downtown. that building served as a library until 1980, when a new building was constructed several blocks away on east lamme street. this building was then renovated for use as one of the several city government office buildings in bozeman. the current building on east main street was made possible after taxpayers passed a four million dollar bond referendum in 2001. with this funding, 14.3 acres that had belonged to the milwaukee railroad ("milwuakee road") was purchased, and construction began in april 2005. the current site of the library is the former location of the old bozeman "milwaukee road" passenger and partial freight terminal. this railroad was electrified (3,000 volts dc) from harlowton, montana, through butte, missoula, and spokane, to seattle-tacoma; and so, it is fitting that the current library is notably eco-friendly.