Library Services and Technology Act

Lifelong learning opportunities are key to helping Montanans thrive and be active community members. State Library staff uses LSTA to help libraries meet their communities’ lifelong learning needs.

• Ready2Read
• Share Your Story
• Montana Makers
• Lifelong Learning

The Montana Shared Catalog is a collaborative effort between libraries statewide to provide Montanans with equal access to books, movies, and more, whether they live in large, small, urban, or rural communities.​

• The Partners sharing group of libraries connects users to the items they want in communities across the state, from Glendive to Libby.
• Prairie County Library has a budget of $53,700 and serves a population of 1,180, yet the library’s patrons have the same access to resources as patrons of the Billings Public Library which has an annual budget of $3.5 million and serves a population of 141,250.

Professional development opportunities - 3,500 credits of continuing education earned a year - many of them from the 231 credit hours the State Library either offered or arranged for librarians.

• "The onine training is spectacular, helps alleviate the huge land area." - participant