The Mechanics’ Hall library is one of the few membership 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. We have new subscriptions to three Maine maker periodicals: Taproot, Making, and Mortise & Tenon.
To get involved with these exciting changes or donate books related to the skilled trades, please contact library@mainemechanics.org
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. We are currently working on making our collection available online for browsing and request; in the meantime, please contact us with any requests or questions you have.
*See below for regular hours. Parenthesis indicate current changes due to Covid-19 precautions.
We currently have an ongoing First Friday partnership series with Print: A Bookstore. Every month, a new author is invited to the Mechanics’ Hall library during Art Walk to discuss their work, often in conversation with another author.
Discussions typically take place from 7-8pm.
We post scheduled author chats here and on our events blog.
We also send information in our monthly e-blasts.
Mechanics’ Hall is proud to host a variety of programs, including book clubs, craft events, and much more. Currently, all of our events are virtual.
Find our program calendar here to see what’s coming up.
Feel free to reach out to Jules with any questions about the library.