Bangor Public Library

44.8043°N 68.7719°W / 44.8043; -68.7719

Bangor Public Library
Location	Bangor, Maine
Established	1913
Collection
Size	520,000
Access and use
Population served	35,473
Other information
Budget	$2,388,577
Director	Ben Treat
Employees	35
Website	http://www.bpl.lib.me.us/
Bangor Public Library
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Show map of Maine Show map of the United States
Location	Harlow, Center, Park, State, York, and Central Streets Bangor, Maine
Built	1911
Architect	Peabody and Stearns[2]
Architectural style	Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements, Renaissance
Part of	Great Fire of 1911 Historic District
NRHP reference No.	84001479[1]
Added to NRHP	June 14, 1984

The Bangor Public Library is the public library of Bangor, Maine. It shares the URSUS online cataloging system with the University of Maine and other Maine libraries.[3]

The library's roots date to 1830, when the Bangor Mechanic Association assembled a private collection of books.[4] In 1873, it absorbed several other associations' libraries and became the Bangor Mechanic Association Public Library.[5]

In 1883, former U.S. Congressman and lumber baron Samuel F. Hersey left the City of Bangor a $100,000 bequest, which the city used to form a municipally owned public library. The Mechanic Association's 20,000 books formed the core collection. In 1905, the small membership fee was abolished and the library became truly open to all.[6]

By 1911, the library's collection had grown to 70,000 books. Then came the Great Fire of 1911, which destroyed the library along with most of the Bangor Business District.[7] The library reopened that May with the 29 books pulled from the ashes and 1,300 others that had been on loan.[8] (Today, the library is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Great Fire of 1911 Historic District.[9])

In 1913, the library's new building, designed by the Boston architectural firm Peabody and Stearns, opened its doors near the high school.[2]

In 1997, the library was renovated and a new wing added (designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects), thanks to a donation from Stephen and Tabitha King.[10][11] King's story The Library Policeman was inspired by his 10-year-old son's expressed fear of returning overdue books to the Bangor Public Library because of "the library police".[12]

In 2014, the library was renovated again; plans included a new glass atrium designed by Scott Simons Architects.[13]

On an interesting note, the library contains the couch that former VP Hannibal Hamlin drew his last breath upon while playing cards too hard.[14]

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. "Bangor Public Library". Bangor in Focus. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
3. "Bangor Public Library". libraries.org. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
4. "SEO Services for Doctors - Digital Marketing | Ekwa Marketing".
5. "Bangor Public Library".
6. The American library annual, p. 327
7. Maine library bulletin, Volumes 1-6, p. 2
8. Report of the Public Library 1917, p. 16
9. "Bangor Historic Preservation Program" (PDF). 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 15, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
10. Flood, Alison (March 22, 2013). "Stephen King and his wife pledge $3m to Maine Library". The Guardian. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
11. Kellogg, Carolyn (March 21, 2013). "Stephen King and wife Tabitha pledge $3 million to Maine library". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
12. Stephen J. Spignesi, The Essential Stephen King (2003), p. 127
13. Bangor Public Library (March 5, 2014). "Bangor Daily News". Bangor Public Library Renovation Tentatively Scheduled for June. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
14. "The Bangor Public Library Contains a Creepy Piece of U.S. Presidential Memorabilia". Q97.9. Retrieved October 18, 2018.

External links

• Official Site
• City of Bangor