Consortium of academic libraries in Montana celebrates decade of information access

BOZEMAN - A consortium of higher education academic libraries in Montana designed to provide better services to users statewide is celebrating a decade of cross-institutional success.

Founded in 2016 to increase efficiency and improve access to resources for students, researchers and communities in Montana, the Treasure State Academic Information and Library Services, or TRAILS, consortium is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. The consortium is committed to enriching higher education in Montana through access to high-quality learning resources and library services. It serves more than 40,000 students at 25 member institutions across the state, saving Montanans millions of dollars annually. The Montana State University Library is one of the consortium's members.

"TRAILS helps academic libraries across Montana leverage collective buying power to negotiate group contracts for core e-resources," said MSU Library Dean Doralyn Rossmann. "Consortium members collaborate across institutions to reduce barriers for our users. Every Montanan benefits when we work together."

TRAILS will hold its annual Academic Library Symposium May 20-22 at Carroll College in Helena with a theme of "Libraries in the Age of (Mis)information." The symposium is an opportunity for library and higher education professionals to learn about and discuss artificial intelligence and technology, library operations and services, intellectual freedom, public policy and other topics. Presentations will be delivered in person with a virtual attendance option available. Symposium registration is free; attendees are asked to register by Friday, May 1.

"A decade after the formation of TRAILS, this year's symposium is an opportunity for celebration," said Pamela Benjamin, TRAILS executive director and statewide coordinator, who is based at the MSU Library. "TRAILS represents the collective strength of Montana's academic community, proving that we achieve more for our students when we move forward together.

"Libraries are one of the most important institutions when it comes to navigating the (mis)information landscape," Benjamin added. "Many TRAILS member libraries are open to the public and offer reliable and authoritative information to all Montanans."

Benjamin noted that TRAILS is a "powerful equalizer" in the academic landscape and serves every higher education institution in Montana-including tribal and private colleges, the 16 Montana University System campuses and the Providence St. Patrick teaching hospital, plus the Montana State Library.

"By leveraging the strength of this statewide network, TRAILS levels the educational playing field, ensuring that students at Montana's smallest institutions enjoy the same access to cutting-edge library resources and research tools as those at the state's largest universities," Benjamin said.

Jerusha Shipstead, Miles Community College library director, said that participation in TRAILS strengthens support for teaching, learning and research.

"Through collaborative purchasing, shared expertise and resource sharing, consortium membership enables our library to provide broader access to high-quality resources in a cost-effective and sustainable manner," Shipstead said.

In addition to community colleges, the collaborative model is vital to Montana's tribal colleges, where consistent access to high-level research tools ensures students are fully prepared for the next step in their academic journey, said Adrienne Violett, Chief Dull Knife College library director.

"Woodenlegs Library provides the same academic resources to Chief Dull Knife College students that they can anticipate utilizing when transferring to four-year Montana universities, thus building bridges to success," Violett said. "This access to academic resources is only possible because of the collaborative negotiations that happen through the TRAILS consortium."

For more information, visit guides.lib.montana.edu/TRAILS or contact Benjamin at 406-994-4432 or [email protected]. More information about the symposium is available at trailsmt.libguides.com/2026symposium.