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Featured

All Maine residents are eligible for a library card from their State Library.

The Maine State Library was created by an act of the Legislature in 1839.

Microfilmed cemetery records and Maine newspapers attract researchers from all parts of the U.S.

Maine State Library: One Library for All Maine Residents

The Maine State Library offers a free card to any resident of Maine. Even if you live more than one hundred miles away from Augusta, you may register for a library card.

You may register online for a card and use it to place online requests for books. If you are eligible, you can register to participate in the Books By Mail services.

Background

Founded in 1839 by an act of the Legislature, the State Library moved into its current home in the Cultural Building in 1971. Our library may be the oldest public cultural institution in Maine. We share our building with the State Museum and the State Archives.

Significant Collections

The State Library is like other libraries in Maine and across the country. There are books, magazines, newspapers, online databases and audio books. However, we are different from other libraries because our primary focus is on Maine past and present.

The Library receives every Maine newspaper, magazine, and state government document. It also collects the writings of all Maine authors.

Some unique special collections include the personal scrapbooks and letters of Governor Percival Baxter (1876-1969); the Myron Avery (1899-1952) photographs, letters and papers about the Katahdin area; the original diary of Maine midwife, Martha Ballard (1735-1812); and a collection of the gifts and mementoes received by Samantha Smith (1972-1985) on her historic visit to the Soviet Union.

Research

Maine State Library is the destination for researchers investigating Maine history and genealogy. Our rich collections of town and county histories, town reports, and family genealogies are invaluable resources.

There are hundreds of Maine maps and atlases dating from the late 1700s through the end of the twentieth century. Some of these maps date from the earliest geographical records before Maine became a state in 1820.

More about the Maine State Library

Find out more about our services for the public.

Suggested Links

• Ask a Librarian: A list of all Maine State Library Reference services and options: Contact by phone, by email, by U.S. Postal mail and, of course, in person at the Library
• Resource of the Month: Each month, the Reference Librarians at the Maine State Library describe a printed resource that they find particularly useful. Often, a brief annotated list of web sites on the same topic is also included.
• Talking Books Plus: Library Services for People with Disabilities: Maine State Library Outreach Services provides a variety of programs for residents with disabilities and the ability to search the online catalog. These programs require certification by a qualified professional.

Spotlight, March 2007