Montana State Library
1515 East 6th Avenue
Post Office Box 201800
Helena, MT 59620-1800
United States
The Grants to States Program
The Grants to States Program is the largest grant program run by IMLS; it provides funds to State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAAs) using a population-based formula set by the law. SLAAs determine goals and objectives for the funds in their statutorily required five-year plan (see below). For more information, see the Grants to States program overview.
Allotments
| Year | Allotment Value |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $1,202,258.00 |
| 2021 | $1,242,546.00 |
| 2022 | $1,239,920.00 |
| 2023 | $1,428,817.00 |
| 2024 | $1,427,530.00 |
5 Year Plan
Each state creates a 5-year plan for its programs to strengthen the efficiency, reach, and effectiveness of library services. View all states' plans.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| montana5yearplan.pdf | 5.89 MB |
5 Year Evaluation
At the end of a 5-year period, each state reports their results in achieving goals and objectives projected in their 5-Year Plan. View all states' evaluations.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| montana5yearevaluation.pdf | 1.99 MB |
"The Montana State Library Commission is resolved in its belief that all Montanans will have access to library content and services, sufficient unto their needs. To this end, the Montana State Library develops statewide strategies, to achieve the goal of providing all Montanans with equitable, sufficient access to library resources. The Montana State Library encourages and supports partners, including Montana libraries, who are key to the success of these strategies."
- Jennie Stapp, State Librarian, Montana State Library
Project Examples
Consulting Services
The Montana State Library (MSL) offered consulting services and training opportunities to public librarians and trustees to help them better respond to the needs of their local communities and strengthen the leadership skills of directors and board members. Three statewide consulting librarians helped libraries with questions about technology, finance, library laws and operations, and personnel, both virtually and in-person. During the project period, they traveled 4,415 miles to conduct site visits throughout the state. In addition to consulting, this project supported the expansion of broadband statewide via E-Rate consulting, an in-depth statewide broadband assessment, and the provision of 959 Wi-Fi hotspots.
IMLS Funds: $392,268.78
Montana History Portal
The Montana History Portal (Portal) supported the creation of and free access to digital collections of maps, photos, rare books, oral histories, and other items related to Montana’s cultural heritage. Libraries, museums, local government agencies, and historical societies across Montana contributed content to the website. During the project period, the number of page views increased 13 percent to 2,863,258, the number of users increased 86 percent to 263,255, and the number of sessions increased 61 percent to 335,900. The Portal Director shared curated and themed sets of the Portal's content with the public via social media, averaging a reach of over 1 million Facebook users per post. The Portal’s social media following increased 69 percent since the last reporting period. The Portal also successfully migrated to a new platform, which allows new ways for users to interact with content, including tagging, suggested edits, and crowdsourced transcription.
IMLS Funds: $145,961.81
Lifelong Learning
The Montana State Library (MSL) worked with Montana librarians, other staff, and local, state, and regional agencies to help libraries become resources for economic development in their communities. As a result, Montana libraries provided more lifelong learning resources to their communities, which led to meaningful improvements in their quality of life. This project has continued to grow since MSL contracted with an economic development consultant to develop programs such as the Montana libraries SPARK ED initiative and entrepreneurial coaching. To support early literacy and outdoor education, MSL partnered with the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Department and circulated trunks to libraries with bear and bat themes to use with families.
IMLS Funds: $86,745.65
Review recent Grants to States projects from this state library in the State Program Report database.
Search the Awarded Grants Database for additional details about awards in this state or view the State Details Dashboard.
Five-Year Plan Highlights
Goal 1: All Montanans have access to library content, services, and information to achieve their personal, educational, and professional goals.
- Projects include:
- Collection management
- Cultural resources, including the Montana Memory Project
- Electronic resources
- Resource sharing
- Talking Book Services for Montanans
Goal 2: All Montanans have sufficient access to and can use technology to enable their personal, educational, and professional growth.
- Projects include:
- Technology support, including broadband upgrades and other library needs
Goal 3: All Montanans live in communities where the local government and library work together to build resilient communities.
- Projects include:
- Consulting and Continuing Education support for Montana librarians
Goal 4: All Montanans have access to learning experiences that support personal, educational, and professional growth.
- Projects include:
- Programming and lifelong learning, including early literacy efforts, civic engagement, summer reading, and economic development
IMLS Data Collection
State Library Administrative Agency Survey
The State Library Administrative Agency Survey (SLAA) provides descriptive data about state library agencies for all fifty states and the District of Columbia. To interact with the latest data, please visit the SLAA Survey Comparison Tool.
Public Libraries Survey
The Public Libraries Survey (PLS) provides national descriptive data on the status of public libraries in the United States and its territories. Explore state profiles representing more than 9,000 public library systems and over 17,000 public library outlets.