These are just some of the projects we have in mind. To learn more about how you can help make them possible, contact us today.

Advanced Leadership Institute

The problems facing our communities require all of us – librarians, local government officials, community leaders - to work together to find solutions and build communities that nurture and improve the quality of life of community members. We need advanced leadership institutes for individuals who are ready to begin the deep work of exploring their own strengths and weaknesses as leaders and how they might transform their leadership styles to work with other community members to solve community problems and obtain community aspirations. 

Courier Delivery Service Improvement

Montanans want access to library materials. High volumes of requests from library users have required Montana libraries to find reasonably fast and consistent delivery of materials between libraries who share their materials for the benefit of their community members.

The geography of Montana, its rural landscape, and its remote location in relation to major metropolitan hubs in the United States mean that options are limited for securing reliable courier delivery service either regionally or statewide for Montana libraries. This proposal seeks funding to accomplish two goals: first, to implement automated tracking on crate shipments so that library members can monitor deliveries and State Library staff can collect accurate data on the program’s patterns and use; second, to secure regional connector options to extend sharing opportunities to sharing-ready libraries that are geographically distant from major service routes.

Desired outcomes are a sophisticated tracking system that improves services and reduces day-to-day delivery concerns; a cost-effective delivery infrastructure that supports the needs of participating libraries and their customers; and finally, the further development of a cost-effective physical delivery infrastructure in which more Montana libraries are able to participate in order to increase access to physical materials for their communities. 

Montana Shared Catalog Infrastructure

All Montanans deserve access to library services. The Montana Shared Catalog levels the playing field by giving library customers in Terry (population: 605) the same access as library customers in Billings (population 104,170).  Montanans can search for library materials whenever they want and where ever they are. The consortium leverages its size and funding to bring state of the art technology to all Montanans. The system is a utility, and if it were free any library could join. The more libraries that join, the more power the group has to create a system that works for every Montanan – no matter where they live, work, or play. It becomes a platform for offering other services that gives all Montanans access to library services.

Native America Speaks – Implementing the Glacier National Park model statewide

From the National Park Service: “Each summer Blackfeet, Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreille tribal members share their knowledge of the history and culture of Native America with Glacier National Park visitors as part of the Native America Speaks program.”  Public librarians from around the state have expressed interest in working with their local tribal members to bring similar programming efforts into their libraries. Librarians would like to help increase appreciation, understanding, and knowledge of the history and culture of their local tribes. To be successful this effort will need to build relationships between local tribal leaders and the library. Humanities Montana and Glacier National Park may also be important partners in this effort.

Mobile Hotspots for Checkout

Internet access is critical. Montanans need access to the Internet to connect with telemedicine, further their education, connect with loved ones, or improve their economic situation. Montana is 50th in the country in broadband access and speed. One Montana public library has offered mobile hotspots in an effort to give economically disadvantaged community members access to the Internet. The program has been wildly successful but it is not cheap. Other libraries would like to offer this service. They need funding to prove its value in order to increase or reallocate their budgets to pay for ongoing costs. We are requesting funding to purchase devices for every public library in Montana. In addition to the device purchase, we would like three years’ of ongoing funding to give libraries time to determine how they can pay for the ongoing costs after the pilot is complete.

Montana Real Time Network

Several stakeholders in Montana, including Montana tribes and state agencies, would like the State to support a real time network of GPS repeaters that, together, provide incredibly accurate location information. The data can be used for a variety of purposes from surveying to precision agriculture. In the future this technology can be used to help power smart cities including providing location information to power autonomous vehicles. The Montana State Library is well-positioned to coordinate with stakeholders to manage the network and the data. Local libraries could help promote this resource to their communities. After initial investment for hardware, software, and towers, similar models in other states have proven to be self-sustaining. 

VR for Economic Development

Modeled after a successful program developed in Nevada and California, the Trust wishes to fund virtual reality technology and learning curriculum that will allow Montanans to explore career possibilities and to take accredited courses that will lead to technical and professional certification from the comfort of their local library. Due to the closure of several Job Service offices throughout rural Montana, Montana’s libraries have become the de facto workforce offices in their communities. By incorporating virtual reality into the toolkits libraries offer to their patrons, Montana’s librarians can offer their patrons state-of-the-art job training resources. Montana communities, including tribal communities, benefit by keeping their best and brightest at home. Individuals benefit from exploring job opportunities and completing coursework without the added stress and expense that comes with relocating.

When you become a Trust Partner, you serve individuals and communities in every corner of our state. When you invest in Montana libraries, you invest in possibilities.