“It was great to experience the statewide effort. We knew we were part of a larger group. It was impressive that the sixteen counties were involved.” - Participating Librarian
Read ME is a statewide program presented in partnership with Maine State Library that gets Maine’s adults all reading the same books—by Maine authors and recommended by a Maine author. View this year’s list of participating libraries and upcoming Read ME library events!
Last year’s pilot of Read ME was a great success, with 62 libraries participating across the state. We know each featured title circulated over 400 times! There were several book groups, author talks, and other awesome programming that connected with the Read ME titles. Find out below what we have in store for this year!
Maine author Paul Doiron selects books by two lesser-known Maine authors for Read ME.
Goals
- Connect Maine’s adult reading community through shared reading experiences.
- Support libraries in their work to provide quality adult summer reading initiatives.
- Elevate upcoming Maine authors.
Logistics
All participating libraries need to do is showcase and make available two books (one fiction—River Talk by CB Anderson, one nonfiction—Settled in the Wild: Notes from the Edge of Town by Susan Hand Shetterly ) recommended by Paul Doiron (Knife Creek, Poacher’s Son, Trespasser). We encourage participating libraries to run programs related to these texts throughout the summer months. The season will culminate with an episode of Maine Calling, aired in front of a live audience at Maine State Library.
Paul’s picks
Fiction
River Talk
Discussion questions and further reading
“The short stories in CB Anderson’s River Talk are about Mainers: folks you went to school with and have known forever, others you hear speaking in foreign tongues on the street, newcomers, neighbors, maybe even yourself. What makes this book so special, so moving, is Anderson’s passionate commitment to making all of these people not just recognizable but relatable. If you’re looking for a book about the ways people in Maine actually live, now, today, you need to read this small masterpiece.”
Non-fiction
Settled in the Wild: Notes from the Edge of Town
Discussion questions and further reading
“More than in other places, Maine people live close to nature. Some by accident, others by design. Susan Hand Shetterly’s collection of lyrical short essays, Settled in the Wild: Notes from the Edge of Town, is therefor a book intended for all of us. It’s about watching deer drift through the field at dusk and about leaving the window open in April to hear spring arrive with the first piping of the peepers. It’s about the familiar, the secret, and the strange, written by an artist whose gift it is to help us see our shared environment as we’ve never seen it before.”
What we expect of participating libraries
Based off of the feedback we received last year, we have made improvements to this year’s program.
- Registered libraries will be added to a private FB group. This will allow everyone to share ideas, connect, and get special updates about extras we’re offering.In order to help everyone better plan for the big end of summer event, we have already scheduled the LIVE Maine Calling, which will be held at Maine State Library on August 22
- We have preordered enough books from the publisher to provide us with a discount just for registering libraries. Susan’s book was even reprinted just for this! Our grand plan is to get books and publicity materials to libraries in April not May!
- MSL and MHC have purchased several copies of each title to help in your quests to access enough copies for your book groups. These will be processed and made available through ILL.
- We will provide several discussion questions to registered libraries to go along with each book.
- AND, we will again be offering a few author visits and facilitated book discussions to participating libraries.
- Must be willing to purchase at least one copy of each recommendation. We are offering book purchasing through MHC/MSL to get bulk ordering discounts.
- We will provide posters and bookmarks.
- Use posters to promote Read ME and connect your library with the statewide community.
- Distribute bookmarks to your patrons.
- Promote the final culminating statewide event to your patrons.
- Help promote other participating libraries’ special events
- Track circulation of featured texts and program attendance if any are offered.
- Complete and submit end of summer survey/evaluation.
Timeline
Participating Libraries
Acton Public Library
Alice L. Pendleton Library
Alvan Bolster Ricker Memorial Library
Auburn Public Library
Bailey Public Library
Bangor Public Library
Berwick Public Library
Bonney Memorial Library
Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library
Brewer Public Library
Camden Public Library
Carver Memorial Library
Cary Memorial Library
Casco Public Library
Casco Public Library
Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library
Cumston Public Library
D.A. Hurd Library
Denmark Public Library
Dorothy Webb Quimby Library, Unity College
Edythe Dyer Community Library
Ellsworth Public Library
Freeport Community Library
Fryeburg Public Library
Gardiner Public Library
Guilford Memorial Library
Harrison Village Library
Hartland Public Library
Henry D. Moore Library
Hollis Center Public Library
Ivan O. Davis-LIberty Library
Jesup Memorial Library
Julia Adams Morse Memorial Library
Kennebunk Free Library
Libby Memorial Library
Lithgow Public Library
Lithgow Public Library
Long Lake Public Library
Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library
Lubec Memorial Library
Ludden Memorial Library
Madison Public Library
Maine Charitable Mechanic Association Library
Maine State Library
McArthur Library
Mechanic Falls Public Library
Naples Public Library
Newport Cultural Center
Norway Memorial Library
Orono Public Library
Peavey Memorial Library
Pittsfield Public Library
Portland Public Library
Rangeley Public Library
Rice Public Library
Rockland Public Library
Rockport Public Library
Salmon Falls Library
Scarborough Public Library
Shaw Public Library
Soldiers Memorial Library
South Berwick Public Library
South China Public Library
South Portland Public Library
Southwest Harbor Public Library
Spaulding Memorial Library
Stockton Springs Community Library
Stonington Public Library
Thompson Free Library
Topsham Public Library
Vassalboro Public Library
Vinalhaven Public Library
Walter T.A. Hansen Memorial Library
Washburn Memorial Library
West Paris Public Library
Windham Public Library
Winslow Public Library
Winterport Memorial Library
Witherle Memorial Library
York Public Library
