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G2S Project Code: 2021-MT-89350
State: Montana
Fiscal Year: 2021

Grantee
Montana State Library

Project Director
Director Name: Jennifer Birnel
Director Phone: 406-444-4027
Director Email: jbirnel@mt.gov

General Information
Title: Montana Memory Project
State Project Code:
Start Date: 07/01/2021
End Date: 09/30/2022
Abstract: The Montana Memory Project (MMP) provided an online source for digital collections relating to Montana's cultural heritage. These collections documented the Montana experience and served as a resource for education, business, pleasure, and lifelong learning. Contents included maps, photographs, rare books, historic documents, diaries, oral histories, audio and video clips, paintings, illustrations and art. Through social media and outreach, the Montana Memory project expanded its reach, attracting 118,732 users across the reporting period. Training and consultations helped 19 libraries contribute content to the site, adding to the total 79,064 digital items now freely available to the public.
State Goal: Collaboration

Budget Information

LSTA

MATCH-State

MATCH-Other

Total

$103,468.87

$15,000.00

$0.00

$118,468.87

Intent(s)
Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.
Arts, Culture & Humanities
History

Activities
Activity Details
Title: Montana Memory Project Web Presence
Narrative: Montana Memory Project (MMP) delivered a website hosted on the platform Recollect. This digital presence included 79,064 items and 177 collections such as art, letters, newsletters, photographs, sound recordings, books, maps, obituaries, postcards, summaries, documents, meeting minutes, periodicals, posters, and yearbooks. The site received 720,688 pageviews during the reporting period across 159,230 sessions. Many additional MMP users experienced content using the program's social media pages. MMP attracted 30% more followers from the previous award cycle, with 25,588 followers across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Post reach extended to a total of 7.8 million, driven by popular series and historical photographs. The post with the highest reach was included in a series during Black History Month featuring a photograph of Charles "Smoky" Wilson. After the Civil War, Wilson moved to Montana, where he served as an Army interpreter and Crow Agency policeman. This post alone received 40,825 likes, 1,463 comments, and 8,327 shares. One patron remarked, "Your posts on Facebook opened doors that I didn't know were there. I am 3rd Gen Montanan and because of age and health your posts give me new parts of our history to learn about. Thank you."
Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Other
Format: Digital
Other: A website and social media presence

Quantity

Partner Information

Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No

Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No

Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: Yes
For a targeted group or for the general population: General

Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types

Public Libraries: 4
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 1
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 3
School Libraries: 2
Other: 9

Question 1: I am satisfied that the resource is meeting library needs.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 2: Applying the resource will help improve library services to the public.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0

Activity Details
Title: Montana Memory Project Outreach
Narrative: Montana Memory Project (MMP) staff performed outreach at 28 locations, traveling 4,012 miles to reach 169 people. Outreach sessions focused on recruiting new contributors and demonstrating how librarians, museum curators, and educators can use content to enrich programs and curricula. Locations visited by the MMP director included Missoula, Butte, Miles City, Broadus, Ekalaka, Baker, Wibaux, Terry, Circle, Wolf Point, Malta, Superior, Plains, Paradise, Thompson Falls, Charlo, White Sulphur Springs, Choteau, and Red Lodge. During a visit to the World Museum of Mining in Butte, the MMP director was able to borrow a hard drive of original files which could not be migrated from the program's old platform to Recollect. Thanks to this interaction, the files are now published on the MMP and saved to the State Digital Archive for preservation. This collection includes historical photos of mining in Butte and a collection of safety posters illustrated by John J. Powers. In a new digital outreach effort, the MMP sent 68 digital bulletins to 562 subscribers using GovDelivery.
Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Presentation/performance
Format: Combined in-person & virtual

Quantity
Presentation/performance length (minutes): 120
Number of presentations/performances administered: 28
Average number in attendance per session: 6

Partner Information

Public Libraries: 82
Academic Libraries: 27
SLAA: 1
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 60
School Libraries: 564
Other: 0

Activity Details
Title: Montana Memory Project Contributor Training
Narrative: The Montana Memory Project staff provided training for new and continuing contributors. Consultations included sessions about using the Recollect platform to update, organize, and describe digital collections. In addition to 19 support sessions, the MMP answered 49 tickets submitted by 11 libraries regarding site use, metadata, and the project client. MMP staff supplemented support and training provided through the ticketing system by composing knowledge base articles that were attached to tickets as reference guides.
Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Consultation/drop-in/referral
Format: Combined in-person & virtual

Quantity
Total number of consultation/reference transactions: 68
Average number of consultation/reference transactions per month: 5

Partner Information

Public Libraries: 4
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 1
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 3
School Libraries: 2
Other: 9

Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
Montana Memory Project (MMP) did not harvest content for the Digital Public Library America (DPLA) during this reporting period. The migration to Recollect broke all DPLA links, and because a workable solution could not be found, staff decided to remove the links. With this change, MMP staff and the Cultural Resources Core Service Committee discussed the best way to develop end-user engagement. Strategies prioritized by the committee include focusing on the development of Recollect to take advantage of system end-user tools. For example, the MMP plans to explore crowd-sourcing transcripts and securing content from private collectors.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
The MMP will use the recommendations from the committee to develop end-user engagement so that patrons continue to find the site useful and enjoyable. Alongside this work, the MMP updated its collection development policy which was adopted by the Montana State Library Commission. Staff anticipate establishing policies and procedures to guide the moderation of user-contributed content.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
Using analytics to guide MMP social media campaigns significantly increased the quality of posts, inspiring more user interactions. Recollect equipped MMP with tools to build on this momentum. Community engagement features native to the platform like tagging and comments help program staff connect with end-users to build digital literacy and promote lifelong learning.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:

Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative

Project Tags: