The sound of turning pages mingles with the click of a mouse and the echo of fingers tapping keyboards. In the sensory seeking space, students lounge in beanbag chairs and chat, while in the nearby game corner others work to solve a puzzle. On the third floor, the sound of water falling in the decorative fountain provides a meditative backdrop for quiet study. That is the familiar rhythm inside Montana State University (MSU) Library, a place where knowledge seekers and innovators gather.

MSU Library has been serving students since the institution was founded in 1893. For the first 57 years, it operated from wherever space could be found: Montana Hall, scattered department libraries, Quonset huts, and even a horse barn. That changed in January 1950 when library collections were consolidated under one roof. The 1950 structure, Renne Library, still stands, though it has been added to and renovated over the years to become a modern, innovative 21st century academic library.

When the building opened in 1950, Bozeman residents were invited to join in the celebration. This year, as we recognize 75 years of the Renne Library building, we’re inviting the community to celebrate with us once more. We’re using this milestone to share our history and remind the community that all are welcome in our building. What will you discover during your next (or maybe your first) visit to MSU Library?

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History of Service

When MSU, originally named the Agricultural College of the State of Montana, was founded in 1893, plans were made for a library. Although a librarian wasn’t initially hired, funds were set aside to purchase books, and the library’s small but carefully curated collection was enthusiastically received by the campus community. In 1896, the library hired its first professional librarian, Ruth Mabel Owens. At this time, it had 2,600 volumes and 1,500 pamphlets and served the school’s 50 students.

The library grew with the university; in 1927, library materials were moved to Montana Hall. Although it was a spacious and convenient location when the library first moved in, over the years demand grew, and the falling ceilings, inadequate lighting, banging pipes, and thumping radiators emphasized the need for a dedicated library building.

While talk of a new building began with librarian Elizabeth Forrest in the 1920s, it was Lois B. Payson, library director from 1933-1939 and 1940-1947, who furthered the conversation. Once described as the “most pie-eyed optimist” who ever worked at the library, Lois saw the limitations of the Montana Hall space and formed a committee to pursue a new building. The group outlined the need for a dedicated library, and worked to get a referendum to secure funds added to the 1942 Montana ballot. Although the referendum failed, the vision endured.

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In 1950, thanks to the hands-on leadership of Leslie Heathcote, library director from 1947 – 1970, the institution, now known as Montana State College (MSC), opened its first library building, an 8,894 square foot space holding over 73,000 volumes and serving 2,771 students. MSC now had a dedicated library, but progress didn’t halt with this landmark. Changes continued over the decades, including numerous expansions in the 1960s, and a major renovation in 2001.

In the early 1990s, MSU Library began ushering in the digital era and, by 1997, the library offered access to seven digital databases. Today the library provides 420 databases, over 400,000 print books, two million e-books, 240,000+ print and electronic journals, and hundreds of streaming videos serving more than 17,000 students. The library is also actively involved in expanding access to Open Education Resources – sharable, license-free teaching and learning materials – for students, faculty, and community members.

Recognizing the need to fund emerging technologies and remain relevant in an evolving information landscape, Friends of MSU Library was founded in 1994 to support capital investments, strengthen library resources and services, and promote the library on campus and in the community. Still active today, the Friends group holds outreach events and donor engagement activities to promote the library to students, faculty, and Montanans.

Throughout our 75-year history, the nature of scholarly work and higher education has evolved into a much more collaborative process, and MSU Library has advanced with the times. Today, the library is one of the busiest buildings on campus and is a crossroads where research, technology, and human connections converge. The library’s basement houses many books on compact shelving, which maximizes the space for these materials. The first and second floors of the building buzz with students collaborating on projects or socializing at the Brewed Awakening coffee shop. On the third and fourth floors, silence supports quiet study, reading, and contemplation.

Student success has always been at the forefront of the library’s mission. Over the years, this commitment has expanded beyond helping with research and coursework, and now includes programs and spaces dedicated to all aspects of student well-being. Some examples include the library’s Bobcat Browse enrichment reading collection, a game corner, a sensory seeking area, and stress relief events each semester.

Librarians specialize in understanding and teaching the information landscape. Initially, this meant collecting and cataloging books and knowing our collections for the benefit of our users. Today, librarians help people navigate a complex information environment of social media, misinformation, disinformation, and generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Since ChatGPT was released publicly in November 2022, the MSU Library has been leading MSU in exploring how AI influences teaching, research, and learning in higher education. Our faculty librarians regularly offer credited courses to help students traverse this complex terrain.

Not a Bobcat? Not a Problem! Plan Your Next Visit

As a land grant university, MSU strives to be a resource for all Montanans. All are welcome in the library, where visitors can access resources like books, periodicals, and journals. But the library isn’t just a place for serious research; it is also a place to gather, connect, and explore.

In the Bobcat Browse section, you’ll find popular magazines, local newspapers, and a curated collection of books recommended by students, faculty, and staff. Want to explore history? Archives and Special Collections holds digital and physical collections of Ivan Doig, Tom McGuane, and other regional writers; Montana women’s history; the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem; trout and salmonids, and topics related to MSU’s research interests—all open to researchers worldwide.

Whether you’re seeking access to databases, academic publications, one-of-a-kind materials in Archives and Special Collections, or a fun read, MSU Library is YOUR library. Montana residents can sign up for a community-borrower card. Visit https://bit.ly/msu-community-borrower to find out how you can borrow materials. MSU Library remains dedicated to inspiring learning, sharing information, and connecting people. We hope you will become part of this evolving story.   

Written by Mel Pomeroy, Curator, MSU Library. & Ann Vinciguerra, Events and Communications Manager, MSU Library.