Library Page

Due to Covid-19 precautions, the library is currently open for pick-up only.

For more information and hours, click button below.

Library History

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 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. 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.