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The Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library, 39 Second Street, Presque Isle, Est. 1908

Franklin the Turtle Gets His Library Card

View of the library gallery

Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library - the Star of the Star City

Today, the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library has around 4,200 active library card holders and is a vibrant, crucial economic and development force within the community.

Vision Statement

The Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library will be a model of public access to information and a place in our community that provides a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere for all citizens to pursue their educational, recreational, and cultural interests. 

Background

The Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library is nearing its 100th year of service.  The library, as a department of the City of Presque Isle, is governed by the Presque Isle City Council and has an advisory Library Board of Trustees that oversees policy, is the voice of the community, and manages a Charitable Trust.  In March 2008, Turner turns 100 and our Centennial Celebration plans are underway. 

Having grown from a spot on a local drugstore shelf, to a Carnegie building in 1908, and then into what it is today – a 12,500 sq. ft. building on three floors with ten staff persons, over 60,000 cataloged items, an art gallery, large meeting room, children’s floor, adult services floor and a mezzanine, library and information services now blend the traditional with technological changes to serve community members based on their needs. 

Today, the library has around 4,200 active library card holders and is a vibrant, crucial economic and development force within the community.  We are a proud member of the Northeastern Maine Library District, the American Library Association, the Maine Library Association, the New England Library Association, the Public Library Association and the Friends of Maine Libraries. 

A Sampling of How Many Served in 2006:

• Checked out 61,546 items
• 25,929 Internet users
• Answered 8,179 reference questions
• 2,123 used our meeting room
• 472 students came for a tour or program from the schools
• 1,425 attended story time

Services, Programs, and Events

Over the past year, we have attempted to maintain our excellent customer service while adding programs and participating in community events to bolster an already high community profile.  Here is a sampling of what the library offered:

• Now open 7 days a week to include 4 hours on Sunday. 
• Offer Interlibrary Loan, reference services by phone, email, or walk-in
• Set up a library annex in the Aroostook Centre Mall with events planned each weekend as a library card sign up campaign.
• Embarked on the American Library Association’s READ Poster Project and created twenty posters of community members.
• Published a monthly newsletter, “Newsbook.”
• Created a new Website with new features such as Wikis, video, ask a librarian, and other special features.
• Toddler Time each week for babes and toddlers.
• After school homework help program “Believe and Achieve,” using university students in the education program to assist.
• Homebound delivery services offered to shut-ins.
• Library Book Club meets monthly.
• Library Writer’s Group meets weekly.
• Created a Youth Advisory Group comprised of local teens that advise on teen space and items for the collection

Challenges Ahead

In an effort to maintain customer service and to keep up with the rapidly changing technological tools available to librarians and their patrons, the library will need to be continuously assessing the needs of the community to remain relevant and lead technological change rather than follow. Serving the diverse needs of our users is foremost.

Our rural placement presents challenges that emulate the urban environment but also presents unique challenges. Our users must have information services that help them compete with and engage in the emerging knowledge economies, communicate globally, while maintaining the small town ambience that many are choosing as a way of life.

Accessibility, despite our virtual presence, is as important as ever since a sense of place, traditional values, and the community living room that are sought after and valued entail access for everyone, regardless of ability.  We must be accessible, user-friendly, and reduce barriers to access in any way that we can so that community members are truly welcomed. 

Uncover creative ways through fundraising, resource-sharing, and partnering with other community organizations to continue the level of services the community has come to enjoy despite tough economic times for municipalities.  The needs of our users nearly often exceed our resources. Finding a way to balance need with creative funding resources is an ongoing endeavor.