Visiting FAQ
How does this work?
Anyone is welcome to visit the library!
Can I sit and read or study?
Yes!
What materials will be available for browsing and borrowing?
All of our lending collection is available for browsing and borrowing, including our new arrivals, fiction, nonfiction, Maine collection, and maker books. Note that materials are only available for check out to members.
How do I return items?
You can either drop them off on the return table outside the library when we’re closed, or give them to a staff member if you’re visiting the library during open hours.
I’m not a Mechanics’ Hall member yet or my membership has elapsed. How do I become a member?
Click here to sign up. Membership starts at just $50 for an individual and is free for students and teachers.
I still have questions!
We’re happy to help! Please email library@mainemechanics.org for assistance.
Library History
The Mechanics’ Hall library is one of the few member-supported libraries left in the country. Mechanics’ Hall members have access to our library as well as 18 other membership libraries throughout the country. Find more information about this small group of organizations here. The Mechanics’ Hall library has been an integral part of the organization’s mission since it was formed in 1815. In an age when public education and university-level training in the United States were inadequate to the needs of a burgeoning industrialized society, the library was a setting where apprentices learned to read and write—knowledge that greatly enhanced the skills they were acquiring under the guidance of master craftsmen. We are currently revamping the library’s spaces, collection and policies to better suit the modern mission of Mechanics’ Hall.
To get involved with these exciting changes or donate books related to the skilled trades, please contact library@mainemechanics.org
Current Library Hours
- Monday by appointment, email us at library@mainemechanics.org
- Tuesday thru Thursday 10:00am – 4:00pm
- Friday by appointment, email us at library@mainemechanics.org
Our Collection
Our library has an engaging collection of popular fiction and nonfiction, as well as specialized collections on Maine, fiction by Maine authors, craft and DIY, and much more.
Volunteer at the Library
Do you love libraries? Are you detail-oriented and comfortable with computers? Join us- we are always looking to expand our library volunteer team! Whether you want to come in once for an afternoon or want to come in once a week on an ongoing basis, we can work with your availability and skills to make volunteering work for you. Click here to learn more and we’ll get back to you soon!