Montana State University Library: A Hub of Resources and Innovation
The Montana State University Library (MSU Library) stands as the academic cornerstone of Montana State University, the state's land-grant institution in Bozeman. Serving as the flagship library for the entire Montana State University System, it provides a wealth of resources and services to students, faculty, and the broader community. This article delves into the library's history, resources, innovative initiatives, and its evolving role in supporting research and learning.
A Historical Overview
The MSU Library's origins trace back to January 1894, just months after the founding of Montana College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. Recognizing the importance of scholarly resources, the college began assembling a formal library collection for its students and faculty. Initially, students or instructors managed library services on a part-time basis. In 1896, Mabel Ruth Owens was appointed as the first full-time professional librarian, marking a significant step in the library's development and its commitment to providing comprehensive services.
As the university grew, so did the library. Lesley M. Heathcote, a subsequent University Librarian, recognized the need for expansion, noting that the existing facility was "not especially inspiring to look at." This led to efforts to enlarge both the library building and its collections. In August 1960, construction commenced on a 125,000 square foot addition to the west side of the existing 1950 building. The basement and first floor of the new addition opened in January 1962, with the entire four-story structure completed in November 1966.
In recognition of his contributions to the university, the library was officially named the Roland R. Renne Library on October 14, 1978, honoring the institution's sixth president.
Modernization and Adaptation
The MSU Library has continually adapted to meet the changing needs of its users. A significant three-year remodeling and seismic bracing project was completed in 2002. This renovation included the addition of individual and group student study spaces, a new coffee bar, and the installation of Rudy Autio's ceramic sculpture, Kosmos.
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In 2011, the entire first floor underwent a transformation into an Information Commons. The reconfigured space features movable furniture, multiple computer stations, portable classroom equipment, modular group study rooms, increased power access for mobile devices, an expanded Writing Center, and Library Commons Technical Support staff. These changes were designed to enhance the learning environment and provide students and faculty with the technology and support they need to succeed.
Today, the library provides access to over 100 computers, numerous scanners and printers, flexible work areas, and laptops, handhelds, and digital cameras for checkout.
Digital Collections and Resources
The MSU Library boasts a diverse range of digital collections, catering to a wide array of research interests. These collections include digitized materials from the library's Archives and Special Collections, providing online access to unique and valuable resources. Additionally, the library participates in partnership grants to develop and distribute online research materials to faculty, students, and the public.
One notable digital resource is the Acoustic Atlas, a browsable collection of habitat and species sounds from throughout the Western United States. This collection includes the Yellowstone Collection, a curated compilation of field recordings and a podcast series highlighting America's first national park.
Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
The Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections houses a wealth of primary sources, including original manuscript materials, historical documents, and photographs. These collections cover a wide range of topics, including:
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- Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Diaries, log books, correspondence, military records, scientific research, scrapbooks, stereographs, and photographs documenting Yellowstone National Park from its inception in 1872 through the late 20th century.
- Native American People of Montana and the Great Plains region: Correspondence, photographs, reservation records, telegrams, treaties, allotment plats, hearing papers, diaries, and Indian Claims Commission research papers.
- Montana and western United States agriculture, ranching, engineering, and architecture: Ranch business records, personal papers, records of ranching and farming organizations, photographs, scrapbooks, diaries, and range science research materials.
- Trout and Salmonid collection
- Regional writers: Including the Burton K. Wheeler papers and the Ivan Doig papers.
Access to the Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections is available through the Burton K. Wheeler Reading Room.
The Ivan Doig papers within the collection are particularly noteworthy, comprising manuscripts, proofs and galleys, typed and handwritten writing fragments, pocket notebooks, note cards, diaries, journals, photographs, audio/visual material, and memorabilia created or collected by the acclaimed author.
Financial Resources
In fiscal year 2020, the total budget for the Montana State University Library was $9,051,839. This included materials expenditures of $5,770,550 and personnel expenditures of $3,085,448. These figures demonstrate the university's commitment to providing the library with the resources necessary to support its mission.
The Research Alliance: A New Paradigm
The Montana State University Library is at the forefront of innovative approaches to research support. The Research Alliance, launched in 2023, centralizes multiple research support units within the library, fostering collaboration and streamlining services for the entire campus. This initiative eliminates the need for researchers to navigate a complex network of disparate resources spread across campus.
The Research Alliance brings together professional staff from various units to support faculty, researchers, and students throughout the entire research life cycle. These units are co-located on the third floor of the MSU Library in a flexible space designed for consultations, workshops, and events.
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The creation of the Research Alliance required years of planning and relationship-building. It involved socializing the idea, identifying partners, securing buy-in from those partners, and ultimately obtaining institutional support and funding from the provost.
The Research Alliance offers several key benefits:
- Centralized research support: Researchers can access all the services they need in one location.
- Enhanced collaboration: Co-location fosters informal relationship-building and deeper knowledge of each unit's expertise.
- Increased visibility: By positioning the library as the hub of research support, the library powerfully asserts its central role in supporting institutional priorities.
However, the Research Alliance also faces challenges:
- Space constraints: The library's expanding campus creates ongoing space challenges, making it difficult to co-locate all team members.
- Decision-making structure: The Alliance lacks a formal decision-making framework for its confederated units.
- Articulating shared goals: Members of the Alliance need a mechanism for coordinating and asserting their shared vision and goals.
To maximize the benefits of the Research Alliance, intentional engagement is crucial. It’s important to stay connected with their home unit, in addition to connecting with others in the Alliance space.
Ethical AI in Libraries and Archives
Looking to the future, Montana State University, in collaboration with James Madison University and Iowa State University (ISU), is actively developing resources to support the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in libraries and archives. This project aims to produce deliverables that promote the responsible operationalization of AI, including:
- An environmental scan of AI projects in libraries.
- Library and archives community-specific case studies.
- An ethically-relevant harms analysis tool.
- A handbook to guide users through project deliverables.
Strategic partnerships with influential library and archives organizations will facilitate broad dissemination of deliverables and encourage community participation throughout the project timeline. These responsible AI deliverables will help practitioners consider ethical implications as they embark on AI projects that support increased impact and new uses of library resources.
Statewide Collaboration
The MSU Library is committed to collaboration beyond its own campus. An unprecedented statewide partnership has made the collection holdings of 14 academic libraries in Montana available through a single online search. This system improves discovery of library resources, empowering students and faculty to fulfill their information needs from sources across the state.
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