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The 2025 Montana Public Libraries Survey (PLS), also known as the Public Library Annual Statistical Report, will be open October 1–November 28. Completion of the PLS is required under Administrative Rule 10.102.1155 and the Public Library Standards to receive State Aid. Results are also submitted to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), where they contribute to national statistics and allow peer comparisons across the country.
Completing the PLS before Thanksgiving is highly encouraged. This will allow for time to resolve questions that may come up.
This year’s survey introduces several updates: a rotating research section on staffing, an optional section on summer reading, simplified reporting on dedicated library mills, and a streamlined broadband section requiring only one speed test.
More resources are available on the page.
Process and Procedure updated for WPL - We have been working out kinks as we have added current courier stop libraries. We're getting closer to solving these kinks. WPL's Northwestern region has tested a new process and procedure for drivers/dispatch, that has helped solve the issues we were seeing. All other regions will be implementing this process over the next few weeks. Drivers will now be implementing a two-scan process for each crate. We will continue to monitor the data to ensure accuracy in scanning/delivery times.
**Additional Stops** -
The Courier will be able to add more stops! If you are not currently on the Courier but would like to be or interested in joining/starting a sharing group, please take this survey: Courier/Sharing Group Survey. Thank you for those who have taken the survey already.
Invoice - The following locations will receive two invoices for September - The Portal Invoice and Pre-Portal Invoice: Great Falls, Polson, Glendive, Dillon, Forsyth, Whitefish, Columbus, Laurel, White Sulphur Springs, Anaconda, Baker, Bozeman, Butte, and Helena.
**October Invoice** -
Please disregard the October invoice that was sent. WPL will work on sorting by library location in the billing invoice.
Please watch for an email from @deliverthewest.com.
Crates -
We are now able to run a monthly report on communities Sent versus Received ratio. Each month we will email net positive communities to send extra crates to net negative communities.
Testing Crates -
We have a small number of libraries who still need to test. We are working on getting those out. We will put out a survey for questions you have about the crates. Then we will put out a survey to see if we want to go with these new crates.
WPL Contact Info -
For questions or small issues please reach out WPL's Billings Dispatch team.
Email: billingsdispatch@deliverthewest.com
Phone: 406-245-8622
Repeated Issues or Serious Issue -
Please make a MSL Ticket here.
Common Libby Trainings:
Highlighted Training - Holds Overview
Learn what about holds and how to navigate your holds on the Libby app.
More Libby/OverDrive trainings can be found on MSL's MontanaLibrary2Go website under Help Guides and Support.
Kanopy Streaming Video & Montana Libraries
OverDrive will be providing a webinar on December 3rd at 11 AM. Topics include a tour of Kanopy, discussion of its two subscription models, and an introduction of a special discount program for Montana Libraries.
This webinar is also valid for a credit in Collection Management and Technical Services on ASPeN.
For more information and registration visit the event page here: https://mslservices.mt.gov/ASPeN/Events/Event_Detail.aspx?Event_ID=30591
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Nick Wethington from the SpectrUM program in Missoula wrote a grant with NASA that would allow every public library and tribal college libraries in Montana to have a specially crafted library telescope built by Highpoint Scientific.
Nick expects to have a distribution plan in place by the end of the year.
By filling out this form () you will be added to the list of the first round of libraries to receive one.
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We are working on getting the printed early literacy bookmarks out to all library locations. These have reading tips on the back and instructions to help families sign up for the texting program.
We have gotten a lot of them out the door, but if you have not received your bookmarks yet (shown on the left) please reach out to the to have them mailed to your library!
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Looking for ways to run a program around this reading challenge? Contact the to discuss how to supplement your early literacy programs and story time with this tracker!
Reading helps build social and emotional skills, sparks creativity and imagination, promotes bonding, and helps kids do well overall in school. Take that motivation, open one book, and get started. And remember, 1000 is just a number. The goal is to work reading aloud into your regular routine, and let the magic of storie
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Join two folks (Margaret Mullins and Trina Filan) from the state health department for an interactive discussion about local action anyone can take to improve community health building on the importance of connection and recognizing community strengths for the health of even the most rural places. Listeners will learn about projects that are already happening to bring more collaborative health opportunities to their communities. They also will be invited to consider how they can contribute to this work using tools and resources they already have but may not see as "health-related" assets. It's going to be great fun! Please join us!
Margaret Mullins is the Social Determinants of Health Program Manager at the Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Bureau (CDPHPB) at the State of Montana. She knows that a pathway to health for all communities lies in collaboration.
Trina Filan is a diabetes and cardiovascular health program evaluator in the CDPHPB and a rural geographer to boot. She knows that creating sustainable partnerships is the key to moving Montana communities forward to thriving.
Sign up here for the webinar: https://mt-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YlDVEi5MSGefA1SH9oz-Qg#/registration
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Directors and trustees, is your library putting a mill levy on the ballot in 2026? Would you like to talk with other library folks who are doing the same? Contact Cara - - and let's see if we can get a group together to discuss our questions, concerns, plans, and ideas with each other.
 Montana library community, please let your communities know about the following ongoing book discussion/book club - Montana Reads: The Treasure State's Book Club, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next year.
The Montana 250th Commission recently launched a year-long series of virtual events designed to build excitement around the United States’ 250th birthday in 2026. “Montana Reads: The Treasure State's Book Club” is a monthly online book discussion that will cover exciting topics and figures from United States, Montana, and Tribal history. After a successful kickoff with author Stephen Fried regarding his book on Founding Father Dr. Benjamin Rush, the Commission is today announcing the addition of renown historian H.W. Brands as the speaker for its November event. Brands is the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin and author of more than thirty history books.
Each month, a member of the Montana 250th Commission will lead a presentation and discussion on books that explore myriad aspects of our shared history - from the Founding Fathers to Montana statesmen and women, cultural traditions to amazing innovation. These monthly discussions will feature conversations around the books’ central themes, seeking applications to current challenges and initiatives facing our state and nation. Montanans are encouraged to participate in any and all of these events that they find interesting, and where possible to read the book in advance.
All “Montana Reads” events will be held by Zoom on the second Thursday of each month, from 6:30 – 7:30pm MT. The Montana 250th Commission is excited to share these stories with all Montanans and will be bringing in special guests where possible to further bring this history to life.
Thur., Dec. 11 - The Boston Massacre: A Family History, by Serena Zabin
*NOTE: Author H.W. Brands will join us live for this event
Sign up here on the Montana Historical Society webpage.
For further information on the Montana 250th Commission, please visit Montana 250 or email mt250@mt.gov.
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