The Stanley library addition is on schedule to be completed Aug. 28, or one day before the birthday of namesake Delos Rensselaer (D.R.) Moon Sr., born Aug. 29, 1835 in New York State before later becoming an Eau Claire lumber baron.
His son, D.R. Moon Jr., was born Aug. 29, 1879.
“The projected completion date is currently August 28, 2026,” D.R. Moon Memorial Library Director Elizabeth Miniatt said of the project.
Book purchase records back in the day imply that the original D.R. Moon Memorial Library cost just $8,000 to build in 1901, with books tagged at 10 percent of cost and listed at $800 in council meeting minutes from the era.
What the $8,000 building cost figure includes or excludes is unknown, as the library was a gift by Sally F. Moon in memory of her late husband, Eau Claire lumber baron Delos R. Moon Sr. A newspaper report towards the library’s fiftieth anniversary in 1951 appears to draw on this cost figure, listing the original cost at $20,000, or roughly approximating what inflation would do between January 1913 (the first month for which government inflation comparisons are available) and 1951, when the statement was made.
Better records are being kept this time around, with both construction and basic operating costs enumerated in documentation provided by city hall.
Designed by River Architects for a cost of $300,000 and awarded for construction to Hoeft Builders for a contract cost of $3,994,893, a total of 11 change orders (excluding two that were rejected) has since brought the building cost to $4,360,938.63, with $2,305,772.21 paid and $2,055,166.22 remaining for payment.
“Change orders are reviewed by the library board and city council at their public meetings,” Miniatt said. “Once approved, change orders are paid like the rest of the project through payment application requests from the general contractor and approved by the architect.” 
Financing much of the library project is a state grant for $4.137 grant with numerous business and organization donations also contributing to the project.
Additional library costs meanwhile include $70,500 to Lane Brothers for Asbestos removal and lead abatement, $59,508 to IFLS for digital technology purchases, $2,294.50 to Next Step Moving for 2025 moving costs, $20,000 to Woodmasters for flooring, $20,000 to Jim Jones for trim shelves along with $7,500 for more flooring, and $132,131.85 to Henricksen for furniture and $60,840.13 for bookshelves in the new building. Also included in costs are $17,500 to CBS Squared for asbestos removal bidding documents, and $40,000 for grant administration, for a total overall cost of $5,206,033.55, of which approximately $2.337 million remains to be paid.
Along with construction meanwhile there are basic costs, with revenue balanced against expenses.
Included in basic revenue for the library are a $106,000 municipal appropriation, $42,427 home county reimbursement from 2025, $42,940 in out-of-county reimbursements for 2025, and $1,500 in estimated revenue from copies, faxes, and fees collected, for total revenues of $192,867.
As for basic cost expenditures, records for 2026 include $99,420 in wages and salaries, $14,560 in utilities billing, $4,840 in building repair and maintenance, $29,905 in general operations, $4,000 in office supplies, $13,200 in collection materials (including books, dvds, etc.), $24,452 in employee benefits, $2,400 in building insurance, for total expenses of $192,867.
Now in a temporary location at the Stanley Fire Station, library services for summer 2026 include various regular and special programs, a summer learning program from now until July 30th, limited in-person browsing, a myriad of digital resources including e-books, e-audiobooks, and magazines, browsing and ordering online from among the 1.4 million plus items in the MORE library system, as well as hold pick-up and item drop-off. The library also offers public WiFi access 24-7, public computer access and technology assistance, printing, scanning, and copying, as well as WiFi hotspots and tablets that can be checked out.
Providing delivery service for the elderly and those not able to come in person, circulation for the D.R. Moon Memorial Library was 38,036 in 2025.