Virtual Tour: Explore Our Reading Room

The University of Maine Special Collections Reading Room, featuring rows of wooden tables and chairs arranged for study, glass-fronted bookcases filled with rare books, and a carpeted floor. The room is well-lit by overhead fluorescent lights and natural light from a window. A portrait hangs on the wall, and individual study desks line the left side of the room.

The oldest and rarest items in the library are kept within the Special Collections Department. Within our reading room, researchers would find many of our maps, rare books, and artifacts related to the state’s history.

A person wearing a dark hoodie and cargo pants stands in a well-lit room, closely observing a glass display case. Their reflection is visible in the glass, creating a sense of symmetry. The background features tall windows with sheer curtains and pale yellow wainscoting along the walls, contributing to a calm, contemplative atmosphere.
A student scans our rare bookshelves
Open, illuminated manuscript of the Qur’an displayed on a cloth surface. The two facing pages feature Arabic script in black ink, framed by intricate gold, pink, and blue borders. The background is richly decorated with floral and geometric patterns in gold, blue, and red, highlighting the ornate artistry of the manuscript. The pages show signs of age, with yellowed paper and worn edges, emphasizing the historical and cultural significance of the book. A white book snake rests at the top, holding the pages open for viewing.
A hand-illuminated Qur’an in the collection
Two historical maps are displayed side by side on a wooden table. The map on the left is a black-and-white, hand-drawn map featuring labeled land divisions, roads, and bodies of water, with handwritten notes and stamps visible in the lower right corner. The map on the right is a colored topographical map, showing a larger region with rivers, lakes, and shaded areas indicating elevation or vegetation. Both maps are partially unfolded and rest on a cream-colored folder, highlighting their archival nature and the careful handling of historical documents.
Early maps provide context for research projects
A student with long, light brown hair and a fleece jacket sits in a library or reading room, holding an open book and looking down at its pages. The student wears a colorful, tie-dye patterned shirt. In the background, bookshelves filled with volumes and another person browsing are visible, along with wooden chairs and tables, creating a studious and inviting academic atmosphere.
Older texts often reveal the biases of their time

We also collect current publications related to the state of Maine and literary titles by Maine authors. Researchers can browse and access our largest collection of books in the reading room.

Jeremiah Pearson Hardy, an artist who spent his childhood in Hampden, Maine, painted the works which hang in this room. He studied briefly in Boston and New York, then returned to work primarily as a portrait artist in the Bangor area from the 1830s to the 1870s.

Portrait of Maine artist Jeremiah Hardy.
Maine artist Jeremiah Hardy
Portrait painted by Hardy
Portrait painted by Hardy

This 1842 portrait of Clarinda Brettun Stickland is one of the Hardy paintings on display in Special Collections. Several other paintings by Hardy hang in Bangor Public Library, while others are held by museums at Colby College, Bowdoin College, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Peabody Museum at Harvard University.

Behind the scenes →