Library Services and Technology Act

The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant program is designed to serve all types of libraries: public, academic, research, school, special and consortia libraries. Administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) agency, LSTA provides annual funding to all state library agencies to "develop library networks to share library information resources across institutional, local, and state boundaries and to reach those for whom library use requires extra effort or special materials."

The act also authorizes a national grant competition for education and training, research and demonstrations, preservation and digitization, and models of cooperation between libraries and museums. In addition, IMLS provides grants to improve Native American and Native Hawaiian library services.

In Montana, the State Library Commission administers LSTA grant funds. The amount of money received each year varies; depending on the funding LSTA receives in each federal budget. The funds awarded to Montana are used for State Library programs, such as the Talking Book Library and the Library Development Division; for statewide projects such as the Statewide Cooperative Projects and Montana Shared Catalog.

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