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University of Maine Press supports public library collections
During the summer of 2024, in an effort to get its books into the hands of new readers in Maine, the University of Maine Press initiated an outreach program to provide public libraries around the state with new books from their backlist.
Betsy Rose, Assistant Director of the press, was aided in matching books with libraries by Deb Rollins, UMaine Libraries’ Head of Collection Services, who provided resources for contacting librarians, and Lisa Shaw of the Maine State Library, who posted the offer of UMP books on one of the listservs used by librarians around the state. The response was immediate and enthusiastic, even though some of the librarians thought there must have been a misstatement in Shaw’s post — it’s not often that libraries are offered new books at no cost.
Rose recalls that while all the librarians expressed gratitude for the books, some were especially thankful because they were actively rebuilding collections that had been destroyed by water damage or fire. For example, because their original library building became structurally unsafe and books were damaged, Veterans Library in Patten is temporarily being housed in one room at the back of the Patten Lumbermen’s Museum; a new library will be built eventually, and the books donated by the press are now a valuable part of their new collection. In all, more than fifty libraries in Maine — from York to Fort Kent, and Fryeburg to Lubec — responded and received a total of 670 books.
The press plans to continue its efforts during this academic year to reach more libraries in Maine and throughout New England. For more information or to request books for your local library, please contact Betsy at betsy.rose@maine.edu.
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Raymond H. Fogler Library
