TRAILS, established in 2016, is a statewide program that helps Montana academic libraries provide affordable access to online journals, databases, and other resources for their users.    When libraries work together to negotiate with publishers and vendors, they can afford resources that might be unobtainable for a single library to subscribe to on their own. This allows all Montana academic libraries to provide high-quality, peer-reviewed, reliable resources for their students, creating equitable access to information.

Members are the libraries of nonprofit, academic degree-granting institutions, or nonprofit institutions that have a primarily educational and research mission (e.g., special or research library, museum, historical society, government agency) in Montana and contiguous states.     As of today, TRAILS encompasses 25 institutions across Montana,(https://www.trailsmt.org/members) including all Montana University System (MUS) institutions,(https://mus.edu/system/) seven tribal colleges, (https://mus.edu/system/tribal.html)four private colleges, and Montana State Library.(https://msl.mt.gov/)

There are two: Full Membership and Affiliate Partner Full Membership: Member powers:   • Each member shall be entitled to one vote on the General Council • Each members’ director or appointed proxy shall serve as its official representative on the General Council  • Each member shall be eligible to vote for election of officers, operating procedure amendments, and dissolution or merger • Each member has the right to present issues and propose agenda items to the General Council   • Each member will have the option to participate in all consortium opportunities Members agree to:   • Abide by the Operating Procedures and Membership Agreement of TRAILS and the common policies, protocols, rules, and regulations adopted by the consortium.    • Embrace Commitment to Deep Collaboration (https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.trailsmt.org%2Fdeep-collaboration&data=05%7C02%7Channah.mckelvey%40montana.edu%7Cb76831d16e6f4b3b4a5608de6b37b381%7C324aa97a03a644fc91e43846fbced113%7C0%7C0%7C639066084135840670%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=aXeNY0S4GfVlH7j8TEF6zxLOrQCtXsk9RGGbi1bbATQ%3D&reserved=0)  • Espouse the purposes and goals of TRAILS as outlined in the operating procedures and as supplemented through the strategic programs and initiatives of the consortium.    • Assume and pay promptly financial obligations arising from membership and participation in services offered through the consortium.    • Attend membership meetings and maintain current awareness of TRAILS programs, services, technologies, policies, and best practices.    • Actively participate in the consortium, including the provision of advice and expertise to colleagues and support for staff participation in consortium committees, activities, and professional development opportunities.      Affiliate Partners Partners gain the benefits of purchasing electronic resources as a group. Libraries identify resources of interest and TRAILS works with the vendor, negotiating discounts, coordinating trials, licensing, and invoicing. Commitments from a minimum of three libraries are required for TRAILS to purchase or manage a resource. Affiliates pay annual partner fees to support participation and administration in shared contracts, and use of the TRAILS forum. The Affiliate Partnership Fee is set at 75% of the membership fee amount of the smallest institution in the Consortium.   Affiliates will be able to:    • Realize the savings provided through a consortia purchase of a resource    • Subscribe to a forum category that provides information on new resources under consideration, product trials and opportunities to be included in quotes for new or renewing resources  • Suggest resources for purchase that your institution might be considering on its own to see if there’s enough interest to move it forward into a consortia purchase  • Have licensing done by TRAILS when possible    Affiliate Partners must be approved by the General Council. Montana Academic Libraries are not permitted to be Affiliate Partners.

Membership is open to non-profit libraries that are part of Montana academic institutions: public, private, tribal, four- and two-year colleges and universities. Libraries serving cultural and research institutions with missions that complement or enhance TRAILS primary service to academic libraries may petition for Membership. The General Council will evaluate the petition for membership and issue a decision at the next closest General Council meeting date. Membership is granted after the completion of the TRAILS Member and Partner Agreement and payment of membership dues.

Being a member of TRAILS provides significant value to libraries through shared resources, collaborative tools, professional development, and cost‑saving opportunities. Key benefits include:  Access to Shared Electronic Resources & Discounts  TRAILS negotiates shared contracts for electronic resources,(https://www.trailsmt.org/collaborative-licensing) securing discounted pricing, coordinated product trials, licensing, and streamlined invoicing. Members gain access to a broader range of resources at significantly reduced costs.  Resource Sharing Members that utilize the shared Integrated Library System can easily share physical materials with other TRAILS libraries (https://www.trailsmt.org/resource-sharing)directly through their discovery layer, greatly expanding what each library can offer patrons. Shared Integrated Library System (ILS)  Members may opt in to a shared Alma/Primo VE environment,(https://www.trailsmt.org/sils) which provides: • Centralized system management  • Local control of collections and operations  • Reduced workload for individual libraries  • Access to group‑level expertise and problem‑solving    This also includes coordinated management of ELUNA membership billing.  Collaborative Tools & Communication Platforms  Members receive access to:  • A discussion forum (https://discourse.trailsmt.org/)for messaging, discussion, and cross‑library collaboration  • SharePoint,(https://montanaedu.sharepoint.com/:u:/r/sites/TRAILSConsortium/SitePages/CollabHome.aspx?csf=1&web=1&e=fu3k0X) where members store and share documents related to consortium business  • The TRAILS website, which provides shared information, governance materials, and member‑specific resources  Professional Development & Statewide Community Building  TRAILS organizes two major events that provide opportunities to learn new skills share innovations and best practices, and build relationships with colleagues across Montana: • Symposium (https://www.trailsmt.org/symposium)(in‑person, even years)  • Day of Connection (https://www.trailsmt.org/day-of-connection)(online)  Support for Directors and Staff Onboarding  TRAILS provides templates, checklists, and communication tools to help libraries effectively onboard new directors and staff, supporting smoother transitions and consistent engagement in consortium activities.

TRAILS has one full-time employee, the Executive Director. TRAILS is governed by the General Council (GC). The GC is made up of:  • Member representatives consisting of Deans and Directors (voting)  • TRAILS Executive Director (ex‑officio, non‑voting)  • Montana State Library representative (ex‑officio, non‑voting)  The General Council is the primary decision‑making body and approves the budget, strategic initiatives, new members, changes to agreements, and the creation of committees. They also elect and remove officers. The GC is directed by three officers (chair, secretary/chair elect, past chair) and is assisted by the Executive Director and a Staff Liaison. The officers, the Executive Director, and the Staff Liaison comprise a Cabinet to assist in the management of meetings and other General Council functions - the Cabinet does not act independently of the General Council.  TRAILS also has several active committees (https://www.trailsmt.org/groups-committees)that advance the consortium’s mission to improve library services, support professional growth, and foster a collaborative environment among member libraries. The committees are made up of volunteers from TRAILS member libraries.

Membership fees are determined by a cost allocation structure based on Carnegie Classification and a three-year average of the institutional FTE and of the  library material budget.

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Long-term cost and time commitment.