About NMLD

The Northern Maine Library District (NMLD) is one of three Districts in a statewide library network established by the State Legislature in July 1973. Each of the three Maine library districts contains about one third of the state's population. Together the three districts comprise the Maine Regional Library System, administered by the Maine State Library in Augusta.

Northern Maine Library District (NMLD) is a network of public, school, academic, and special libraries in Aroostook, Hancock, Knox, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo, and Washington counties.

Purpose of NMLD

Assist the autonomous member libraries in Aroostook, Hancock, Knox, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo, and Washington counties, in serving their constituents
Foster cooperation on regional projects
Facilitate the sharing of material, personnel, and intellectual resources

NMLD Staff

Consultant: Valerie Osborne, email: valerie.osborne@bpl.lib.me.us
Administrative Assistant : Jenny Melvin, email: jennym@bpl.lib.me.us

District Office Services

District Offices are staffed by District Consultants who:

Coordinate special projects
Promote public relations activities
Serve on various statewide and regional committees
Organize continuing education and training
Help individual libraries with building construction
Maintain a professional collection
Assist with long range planning

Funding

The NMLD Office is funded by the Maine State Library in Augusta.

Membership

Membership is free and open to any public, school, academic or special library in Aroostook, Hancock, Knox, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo, and Washington counties. Membership benefits include:

Library consultant services
Communications
Membership in library purchasing cooperatives
Continuing education opportunities

The participating library shall:

be a part of an organization or institution that has a legal basis for operation and provides informational resources;
have a written mission statement and service objectives;
have an established funding base;
be authorized to participate by its appropriate administrative authority;
have established and posted hours of service;
have a fixed location;
have a designated staff person or volunteer with library services training and who is responsible for the library;
have an organized collection of information and material accessible for use by its designated clientele and/or the public;
agree to the terms and conditions of the Maine Regional Library System membership agreement as established by the Maine Library Commission. This agreement shall include certification by each member library that it meets the minimum eligibility requirements for participation, agrees to participate in interlibrary loan activities within the state in accordance with the National Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States and agrees to provide data on the use of regional and statewide library materials and services.

[Approved by the NMLD Executive Board November 2006]

There are approximately 300 individual library members in the District including public, hospital, corporate, school, law, academic, and other special libraries.

Each member library or school district appoints a representative to the NMLD Council which meets twice each year.

To become a member, contact the NMLD Office: