Grand opening open house at Big Sky Branch tonight!

Carolyn Kamrud, Big Sky Branch Librarian

The Missoula Public Library is very pleased to announce the opening of a new branch of the library. The Big Sky Branch, located at Big Sky High School, at 3100 South Ave. W, Missoula opened for business Tuesday, Nov. 30, with a open house/grand opening event planned for Tuesday, Dec. 14 from 5:00-7:30 p.m. Big Sky High School was chosen as the location for a branch to allow better access to library materials and services on the southwest side of Missoula. This has been a much anticipated opening for Missoula Public Library, one of the busiest public libraries in the state. The Missoula Public Library sees an average of 70,000 visitors each month and check in 300 items an hour, every day!

The Big Sky Branch is Missoula Public Library’s fourth branch library, joining branches at Frenchtown High School, Seeley Lake High School, and the Community Center in Condon. “The previous school sites have been a big success because it gives the public more for their money,” Missoula Public Library Director Honore Bray says. “They’re already paying public dollars for their schools and they’re paying public dollars for the library. So by combining them together and using the school for longer hours, it makes more sense than paying rent in a building or trying to build a new building,” she added.

With computer access, books to read for fun or study, audio books, DVDs and more, the Big Sky Branch offers all the same great services as the main Missoula library. The Big Sky branch will serve as a pick-up and drop-off location for Missoula Public Library materials. Patrons can request materials via the online catalog and select the Big Sky Branch as the pick-up location. A drive-by book return is also being installed outside the high school. The branch librarian, Carolyn Kamrud, will be making regular trips to the main library to regularly switch out the collection so there will always be something new on the shelves. Plus, she provides great reference service to Big Sky branch users.

The Big Sky branch is open to the public, as well as to students. Hours are 4:00-8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and Saturdays from 9:00 to 2:00 p.m. Further information is available at www.missoulapubliclibrary.org.

Please join us for the gala open house/grand opening of the Big Sky Branch of the Missoula Public Library on Tuesday, Dec. 14 from 5:00-7:30 p.m. There will be food, drinks, music, demonstrations, giveaways, the READ dogs are invited, and general merriment will ensue as we celebrate greater access to library materials and services in Montana.

Missoula Public Library— think more!