Bookmobile at Dragon Hollow and the Carousel

The Missoula Public Library is the

public library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...

Missoula, Montana Missoula ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Missoula County, Montana, United States. It is located along the Clark Fork River near its confluence with the Bitterroot and Blackfoot rivers in western Montana and at the convergence of five ...

. The library provides free resources for residents and guests of

Missoula County, Montana Missoula County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state, state of Montana. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 117,922, making it Montana's List of counties in Montana, third most populous ...

. A library card is free, and available, to all Montana residents.

Description

The Missoula Public Library opened in 1894. The Missoula Carnegie Library opened on Jan 13, 1903 on 335 N. Pattee St. and its building is now part of the

Missoula Art Museum The Missoula Art Museum (MAM) is a contemporary art museum in Missoula, Montana. MAM was founded in 1975 as the Missoula Museum for the Arts and has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1987. History When the Missoula Publ ...

. The main library is located at 455 E. Main St., Missoula (59802-4799). It includes a café, a shop, and Missoula Community Access Television’s (MCAT) high-tech production studio. the University of Montana Living Lab. A video of the new building's design concepts is available to view. Six branches are located: *Big Sky. Big Sky High School *

Frenchtown, Montana Frenchtown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Missoula County, Montana, United States. It is part of the Missoula metropolitan area. The population was 1,958 as of the 2020 census. History Early settlers gave ...

* Lolo, Montana * Potomac, Montana * Seeley Lake, Montana *Swan Lake in Condon, Montana The library has served as a location for or been involved in community discussions. The library provides free wireless internet access, a computer lab with over twenty stations, self-printing, two study rooms, a Makerspace,Loper, Brianna and Frissell, Peregrine.
Missoula Library is Hip Man
, ''UMJournalism.atavist.com''. Accessed: September 05, 2017. self-check out stations, self-hold pickup, and roving librarians. Their print and audio-visual collections include fiction, nonfiction, CDs, a Montana Collection in the Audra Browman Research Room, the Five Valleys Seed Library, Book Chat Bags, a Kids Readers' Corner, and a Young Adult Readers' Corner. They also check out laptops, DVD players, MonoMouses, life jackets, automotive diagnostic scanners, Ready to Read Trunks/Kids' Learning Kits, travel/trail bags, board games/puzzles, binoculars/birding backpacks, seeds, kill-a-watt meters, and telescopes. The library also has a coffee shop and public space where users can study or read with beverages or food. Other full-size libraries in Missoula include the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library at the

University of Montana The University of Montana (UM) is a public research university in Missoula, Montana, United States. UM is a flagship institution of the Montana University System and its second largest campus. Fall 2024 saw total enrollment hit 10,811, marki ...

. Friends of Missoula Public Library has been active since 1969 and its current mission is to, "maintain a citizens' association devoted to libraries," to, "focus public attention on the Missoula Public Library and its branches and their needs," to, "increase their facilities and services," and to, "enrich the cultural lives of Missoula area citizens with community events and activities." The Missoula Book Fair was first held for the state centennial in 1989 and was continued because it, "increases awareness of local authors, promotes books and reading, and raises money for the Missoula Public Library."

Awards and honors

The

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is an international body representing the interests of people who rely on Library, libraries and information professionals. A non-governmental, not-for-profit organizati ...

(IFLA) named the Missoula Public Library as its 'Public Library of the Year' in 2022. It was also given the title of 'World's Best Library' by the World Library and Information Congress. Librarians at the Missoula Public Library who have been given awards including being named the Sheila Cates Librarian of the Year by the

Montana Library Association The Montana Library Association is the state library association of Montana. It is run by librarians from across the state. Their mission is, "to develop, promote, and improve library and information services and the profession of librarianship ...

, as was current library director Honore Bray (2013), retired reference librarian Vaun Stevens (2009), former library director Bette Ammon (2002), and current cataloging librarian Paulette Parpart (2017). In 2006 the Missoula Public Library, along with partner libraries Flathead County Library System, Heart Free Library, Bitterroot Public Library, Drummond School/Community Library, and Polson City Library, was awarded the Library of the Year Award by the Montana Library Association, and the Missoula Public Library was named Library of the Year in 1993.Awards and Honors Recipients
an
archived version
''MTLib.org''. Accessed: September 04, 2017.

References

External links

*
Support the Montana Book Award
, ''MontanaBookAward.org''. {{Coord, 46.870, -113.991, type:landmark, display=title 1894 establishments in Montana Educational buildings in Missoula, Montana County library systems in the United States Education in Missoula County, Montana Public libraries in Montana

Description

Awards and honors

See also

References

External links