BOZEMAN — Artificial intelligence can help libraries provide better services, including making materials more accessible, but using AI can also raise ethical questions, according to Sara Mannheimer, associate professor with the Montana State University Library.

Now, Mannheimer is leading a team working to help librarians and archivists make ethical, values-driven decisions about how best to use artificial intelligence in libraries and archives. Their efforts are backed by a $250,000, three-year grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

“We see AI as this potentially transformative technology for libraries,” Mannheimer said. “AI can provide services that users love – services that can make the library better – but we want to use AI in a way that is careful and with an eye toward potential harms so that those harms can be minimized.”

Artificial intelligence refers to machines that are programmed to process complex information and mimic human actions. AI is powering social media and search engines, and it factors into data-driven decision-making in education, criminal justice, business and other fields, Mannheimer said. It helps find relevant information with personalized internet search results, book and movie recommendations and more.

Over the past few years, libraries and archives have begun using artificial intelligence to enhance their services, especially to help with describing items in their collections and helping patrons discover them. But using artificial intelligence can also come with drawbacks, Mannheimer said.

“AI is not actually intelligent,” Mannheimer said. “It’s still a machine that’s working through a process. It’s dependent on what data you feed it.” Because of that, she noted, it’s important to recognize that AI can be biased and limited by the data it uses and to consider how to account for and potentially address those biases.

Mannheimer said one of the main ways that libraries use AI is in archives and special collections to help create metadata and catalog terms. It helps librarians and patrons understand, on a larger scale, what’s in the library’s digital collections.

With that additional data, scholars can do things like data mapping – a process that connects a data field from one source to a data field in another source, which can help facilitate data migration and integration – or distant reading, which uses computational methods to analyze literature.

Having that additional data available aligns with a widely held library value of making collections more accessible, but Mannheimer cautioned that it’s important to balance accessibility issues with privacy issues.

“When collections are digitized, it opens up the scope of use if it’s openly available on the web,” she said. “Having digitized archives widely available is very different than having them sitting in a box that only certain scholars would access in person.”

In addition, libraries have begun using AI to enhance library services, such as recommending books for library patrons, yet such a service could be at odds with patron privacy.

“There’s this long-standing idea that in order for (library users) to have intellectual freedom and explore topics with impunity, we don’t keep lending records,” Mannheimer said. “But if there is a search program where a patron can opt in to creating a profile, and libraries can keep track of what you’ve borrowed and recommend other titles for you, suddenly there is a tension. We’re trying to align with long-standing library values, but also we’re coming into this culture where there are different expectations from our users about the services we provide.”

To help address the challenges that come with AI, Mannheimer and colleagues at MSU, Iowa State University and James Madison University are developing resources, including a harms analysis tool and handbook, to advise on the ethical use of AI in libraries and archives. They’re also hosting workshops with librarians, archivists and library users and have created an advisory board.

“We’re trying to bring in as many people with different perspectives as possible to make sure that the ethical decision-making guide we make can be used by people with all different sorts of values and experiences,” she said.

Mannheimer and her team plan to create a free tool to help decision-makers in libraries consider all of the potential angles and ramifications of AI. The team plans to distribute it to colleagues and also make it available online.

“It will basically be a guide where, when you embark on either buying an AI product or creating your own AI project, it will help you consider all of the potential angles,” she said. “We think it will be really helpful to have a series of questions to consider.”

In addition to Mannheimer, who is leading the grant, other members of the project team include Jason Clark, Doralyn Rossmann and Scott Young with the MSU Library; Bonnie Sheehey with the MSU Department of History and Philosophy; Hannah Scates Kettler with Iowa State University; and Yasmeen Shorish with James Madison University. The grant is affiliated with the MSU Center for Science, Technology, Ethics, and Society.

Doralyn Rossmann, dean of the MSU Library, said she’s excited to be a part of a team providing needed tools for libraries and archives to navigate the ethical challenges of using AI in keeping with library values.

“AI has so much potential to help people meet their information needs,” Rossmann said. “Our team brings together expertise to ask thoughtful questions about the ethical intersection of libraries, our patrons and AI technologies.”

On October 22, 2022, at 10:40 A.M., Gallatin County Dispatch received a call from the Garmin International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC), who had received an SOS from a satellite communication device.  After communicating with the device owner, it was determined a hunter had broken their leg while navigating rough terrain near the Albino Lake Trail in Big Sky.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Big Sky Section, Valley Section, and a Big Sky Fire Department responded to assist with the call. SAR Big Sky and Valley ground teams deployed on foot to the patient with ropes and a one wheeled litter. Another SAR Big Sky team deployed from the Eldridge Trailhead on a four-wheel drive side by side. Teams faced difficult terrain and harsh weather while attempting the backcountry rescue in snowy and icy conditions.

It took volunteers several hours to locate, assess, and evacuate the patient. Once ground teams arrived at the patient’s location, they stabilized the injury and created a plan to evacuate the hunter by one wheeled litter, and then onto the side by side for transport back to the trailhead. The hunter was then transported several miles down the trail to the Big Sky Fire Department Ambulance and ultimately transported to Bozeman Health for further evaluation.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend the hunting party for being prepared with not only a satellite communication device, but for being adequately dressed for the changing weather and long day in the elements.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

BIG SKY, MT - (October 22, 2022) — An October winter storm has delivered more than a foot of snow at Big Sky Resort, with continued accumulation forecasted through the rest of the weekend. 

Big Sky Ski Patrol observed snow drifts more than two feet deep at the top of Challenger lift at 9600 feet. 

Today, Big Sky Resort also saw its first snowfall in the base area at 7500 feet.
Big Sky Resort opens for the winter season in just over a month on Thanksgiving Day, November 24. 

Let it snow! 

LIVINGSTON — With snow in the forecast, HRDC is preparing its emergency shelter, The Warming Center, for its approaching November 1 opening date.

“For our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness, we provide a warm, safe place to sleep,” said Jenna Huey, HRDC’s Emergency Shelter Services Manager.

“The area’s lack of affordable housing has forced more individuals who live and work here to seek shelter at our facility,” stated Brian Guyer, Housing Director for HRDC. Guyer expects to see additional pressure this winter. “We regularly saw 12 guests a night last year, with upwards of 20 guests on the coldest nights. It’s possible we could reach our maximum guest capacity this year.” With that in mind, Guyer and Huey are working on contingency plans with other community partners should demand exceed capacity at the shelter.

Guyer and Huey know that without the generosity of residents in Park County, HRDC’s Warming Center would not be able to support so many neighbors who are in need. Volunteer support, monetary donations, and in-kind donations, including the contributions made toward the center’s current fall supply drive*, sustain the center’s operations. With winter weather in the forecast for the foreseeable future and a shortage of affordable places to live, indoor refuge for some area residents at the Warming Center is a necessity now more than ever.

For more information about HRDC’s Warming Center, visit thehrdc.org/housing/homeless-services/emergency-shelter/bozeman-shelter/.

BOZEMAN — With the year’s first snow forecast to occur on Sunday, HRDC has been preparing its emergency shelter in Bozeman, The Warming Center, for additional guests. With upwards of 80 known people urban camping in and around the city, HRDC expects to see an increase in demand for overnight services.

“For folks whose campers or cars are not weatherized to withstand extreme temperatures, or for those who have been camping in tents, we are able to provide a warm, safe alternative year-round, and especially during inclement weather,” said Jenna Huey, HRDC’s Emergency Shelter Services Manager.
 
“The area’s exorbitant rents and housing costs have forced more individuals who live and work here to find unconventional ways to address their basic needs,” stated Brian Guyer, Housing Director for HRDC. Given the steady demand for overnight services during the shelter’s recent first-ever summer season, Guyer expects to see additional pressure this winter. “On average, we provided shelter to 80 people each night during the summer months. Some nights that number surged to 100 guests. We did not expect to see numbers that high and because of that, we believe we could reach our maximum guest capacity during the upcoming harsh winter months.”

With that in mind, Guyer and Huey are working on contingency plans with other community partners should demand exceed the 120-bed capacity at the shelter. Gallatin Valley has experienced an escalating number of deaths over the past several years due to exposure. These often-preventable deaths are unacceptable to HRDC which fundamentally believes everyone deserves to be warm at night.

Guyer and Huey are united in their gratitude for the generosity of residents throughout Gallatin Valley. Both recognize that HRDC’s Warming Center would not be in a position to support so many of our neighbors in need without the steady stream of volunteer support and monetary donations it receives, including the contributions made toward the center’s current fall supply drive.*

With winter weather in the forecast for the foreseeable future and a shortage of affordable homes, indoor refuge at the Warming Center is a necessity now more than ever.
 
For more information about HRDC’s Warming Center, visit thehrdc.org/housing/homeless-services/emergency-shelter/bozeman-shelter/.

Paul Nugent, assistant professor of precision agriculture with Montana State University’s College of Agriculture, describes the uses of a soil scanner during a demonstration at Precision Agriculture Bootcamp, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at MSU’s Arthur H. Post Research Farm near Bozeman, Mont. MSU Photo by Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez

BOZEMAN -- Programs promoting precision agriculture, youth development, agriculture scholarships and the state's farm and ranch heritage will all benefit from a newly announced $10 million gift to Montana State University.

The anonymous donation will establish a series of endowments focused on programs based in the MSU College of Agriculture and MSU Extension.

The largest portion of the gift, $5 million, will endow a dedicated faculty chair in precision agriculture who will lead development of new technologies and their data-driven applications for the future of Montana's largest industry.

The new faculty chair position will work to help Montanans improve profitability, agricultural efficiency and sustainability, according to Sreekala Bajwa, vice president of agriculture, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station.

A shrinking workforce and ever-changing global competition means that, more than ever, the future of Montana agriculture will depend on new technologies, she said.

"Advances in agricultural production, profitability and efficiency will be vital to Montana's future competitiveness in the global market, and MSU is a driving force in moving the state ahead in this area," Bajwa said. "Having skilled, talented and proactive professors at MSU will impact generations of Montanans who will be taught, mentored and inspired by this new leader and then take what they’ve learned back home to help our Montana communities."

In addition to the faculty chair, the endowments will provide $3 million to MSU Extension’s 4-H youth development programs, dramatically increasing 4-H's reach and impact in all 56 Montana counties and all seven reservations. The goal, said Cody Stone, executive director of MSU Extension, is to encourage youth to find ways to help their communities meet local and statewide needs.

"Montana's 4-H program helps Montana youth learn important life skills and grow leadership qualities to become the state's next generation of leaders," Stone said. "These programs directly benefit Montana youth, guiding them to find careers in fields that help their hometowns thrive."

The donated funds will support 4-H programs and develop new initiatives aimed at building young people who are confident, hard-working, responsible and compassionate, Stone said.

Also receiving support from the gift, at $1 million each, will be a new scholarship fund supporting MSU students pursuing a degree in the College of Agriculture and the Dan Scott Ranch Management program.

The new endowed scholarship fund will provide funding for students looking to pursue agricultural studies at MSU, and the Dan Scott Ranch Management Program at MSU educates the next generation of Montana ranch managers and provides the skills and knowledge to create more profitable ranches and improve natural resource use.

"Developing agriculture leaders and technologies to help this vital part of the state's economy have been foundational missions for Montana State for 129 years," said MSU President Waded Cruzado. "We are beyond grateful for these endowments, which will allow us to continue and expand that mission."

"This tremendous gift will provide resources to help our students meet the future as agriculturally literate consumers, advocates and policymakers," said Chris Murray, president and CEO of the MSU Alumni Foundation. "Montanans in every corner of the state will feel the impact of this generous gift. We are incredibly humbled and honored to receive this critical investment."

On October 21, 2022, at 1:26 P.M., Gallatin County Dispatch received a call that a rock climber had fallen approximately 20 feet and sustained injuries to their ankle and lower back near the base of Blackline in Big Sky.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Big Sky Section, Valley Section, SAR Heli Team, and AMR responded to assist with the call. SAR Big Sky and Valley ground teams deployed on foot to the patient with ropes and a one wheel litter. When they arrived and assessed the patient the ground teams requested a SAR Heli Team shorthaul due to the patient’s condition and location. The patient was packaged and short hauled to an awaiting AMR ambulance. The patient was then transported to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend the other climbers for staying with, and helping the injured climber, until help arrived. He would also like to remind everyone that accidents can happen to anyone, to bring plenty of supplies, a communication/location device, and a first aid kit in case of emergencies.

Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

The Downtown Bozeman Association, Sweet Pea Festival, and First Security Bank Present the 2022 Christmas Gingerbread House Contest.

The Christmas Stroll Gingerbread House Contest has been a community tradition for well over 20 years and this year is no exception. We invite you to participate in this fun activity! 

• Children: 6 and under
• Children: 7-12
• Teens: 13-17
• Adults: 18 and over
• Professional Baker/Pastry Chef

The Downtown Bozeman Association is looking for an artist to create the 2022 Christmas Stroll poster!

Please email a high resolution (300 dpi or greater) .tiff or .jpeg image of 2-D
artwork in 18x24” format by 5 PM on Monday, November 7th.

As a thank you, the winning artist will receive $200 in cash funded by the Downtown Bozeman Association. The artist will also be recognized on our website, social media, and press releases throughout the season.

To submit your piece, please email cache@downtownbozeman.org.
For questions, please call 406-586-4008.

LOGAN, Utah (October 20, 2022) -- Al’s Sporting Goods, a full-line specialty sporting goods retailer, announced today the acquisition of Bob Ward & Sons, a sporting goods retailer based out of Missoula, Montana.

“We have approached this deal more like a merger than an acquisition,” said Jason Larsen, President of Al’s Sporting Goods. “We are thrilled to welcome the current staff to the Al’s family, and will work to preserve the Bob Ward & Sons name, reputation, and legacy throughout the state of Montana.”

Al’s Sporting Goods will take over operations of all five of the Bob Ward & Sons locations (listed below).
 
• 3015 Paxson St, Missoula, MT 59801
• 3011 Max Ave, Bozeman, MT 59718
• 1925 Dewey Blvd, Butte, MT 59701
• 3323 Dredge Dr, Helena, MT 59601
• 1120 N 1st St, Hamilton, MT 59840
 
“Montana is a gorgeous state, a great place to be in the outdoors and to do business in,” said Dustin Smith, vice president of Al’s Sporting Goods. “We are so excited to continue to build on the stellar reputation that Bob Ward & Sons has earned serving the people of Montana for over a century.”  

There are no plans to change the company name, however, Al’s Sporting Goods will integrate certain operations and processes that have proven successful in its Utah and Idaho stores. Through the strategic brand partnerships that Al’s Sporting Goods has with so many industry vendors and suppliers, it’s likely that many of the product lines currently offered at the Bob Ward stores will be expanded upon.   

“We have known the Ward family for years and are honored that they have entrusted us to continue their legacy,” said Larsen. “Similar to Al’s Sporting Goods, Bob Ward & Sons has been a family-owned and operated business that began over 100 years ago.  Bringing these two retailers together – we now have over 200 years of combined retailing experience.”

For more information visit www.als.com.

About Al’s Sporting Goods
Al’s Sporting Goods was founded in 1921 in Logan, Utah, by Alvin Moroni Larsen, who borrowed $500 using only a $10 Mexican coin and a handshake as collateral to purchase inventory for a cycling and fishing store. His shop, originally called Al’s Bike, has developed into the oldest full line sporting goods retailer in the state of Utah. Al’s Sporting Goods currently operates in Utah and Idaho, with more stores coming soon. Al’s Sporting Goods offers gear and clothing for "Every Sport. Every Season.", and a unique shopping experience rarely found in sporting goods stores. For more information visit https://www.als.com.