MontanaLibrary2Go
MontanaLibrary2Go is a consortium service that offers circulating downloadable digital e-books and audiobooks to patrons at participating libraries. Any public or tribal library may join the MontanaLibrary2Go consortium.
Project Description
MontanaLibrary2Go offers a collection of over 25,000 contemporary, classic, and bestseller downloadable and streaming audiobooks and e-books (books in electronic, or digital, format) to patrons of participating Montana public, tribal, and academic libraries.
The Montana State Library contracts with a distributor called OverDrive to host the collection and to deliver content to patrons who register for a free account through their libraries.
OverDrive hosts content from the top five international book publishers, as well as from a wide variety of smaller publishers and presses.
Downloadable and streaming library books and audiobooks are a valuable service in a large and mostly rural state such as Montana, where citizens often live many miles from the nearest public library. Online services such as MontanaLibrary2Go provide Montanans with the convenience of an "anytime, anywhere" collection, while maintaining the quality content and high level of support of traditional library services.
A shared collection also means more equitable access to information statewide. Through MontanaLibrary2Go, a resident of Circle, Montana (population 617), for example, has access to the same number and scope of digital library titles as a resident of Billings (population 109,059).
Residents, particularly rural residents, who cannot physically visit the library now have the option to quickly and easily check out and read or listen to a wide variety of popular books from any location where internet service is available.
Overall, the number of Montana residents who make use of this statewide service continues to increase across all library locations, indicating that collection development practices and budgets should continue to incorporate plans for increasing access to digital content for the benefit of their on-the-go patrons.
MontanaLibrary2Go is funded in part with federal Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) monies administered by the Montana State Library.
Downloadable MontanaLibrary2Go fact sheet ( PDF)
For Participating Libraries
There is a newsletter for participating libraries. If you are a member of the consortia and are not receiving the newsletter please create a support ticket for Statewide Projects/MontanaLibrary2Go to inquire about being added to the list.
https://montanastatelibrary.zohodesk.com/portal/en/kb/statewide-projects/montanalibrary2go
Marketing materials are available at
https://resources.overdrive.com/library/marketing-outreach-trending/.
https://resources.overdrive.com/library/marketing-outreach-trending/.
New content is added monthly, based on patron requests and selections made on a rotating basis by members of the MontanaLibrary2Go Selection Team. Please contact the Selection Committee if you have questions regarding MontanaLibrary2Go Selection Policy or Selection Procedures.
Any complaints or challenges regarding the MontanaLibrary2Go collection may be brought initially to the Selection Committee. Please see the Title Appeal Process Documentation document under "Bylaws and Policies" below.
Selection rotation schedule
2024
January - Rosebud County Library
February - Lewis and Clark Public Library
March – Bozeman Public Library
April - Roosevelt County Library
May – North Lake County Public Library District
June - Great Falls Public Library
July - Glasgow City-County Library
August - MSU-Billings Library
September - Butte Public Library
October - Billings Public Library
November - Rosebud County Library
December - Lewis and Clark Public Library
2025
January - Bozeman Public Library
February - Roosevelt County Library
The MontanaLibrary2Go membership meets annually to vote on the annual content budget and cost share formula and on other administrative decisions as necessary.
The Selection Committee meets in person or virtually as needed to discuss administrative issues and to prepare materials for the MontanaLibrary2Go annual meeting.
Membership Meeting Minutes are available upon request.
Enrollment
Public or tribal libraries may enroll in MontanaLibrary2Go at any time through the State Library. Please contact Savanna Sill to request pricing and enrollment information.
New content is purchased through funding contributed by participating libraries based on a cost share formula approved annually by the membership.
New libraries will be invoiced for a pro-rated amount from that fiscal year's cost share formula based on the month in which the library joins the consortium. Please see “Project Funding” below for more information.
MontanaLibrary2Go is funded in part with federal Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) funds and in part with annual fees collected from participating libraries. Funding covers the cost of the vendor’s annual hosting fee for the website and access to the collection’s content, and for monthly purchasing of additional shared content.
