Membership

Current Members  |  Member Benefits  |  Join Us

Current Members

Maine Balsam Libraries consortium (commonly called Balsam) comprises more than 40 libraries across the state of Maine! Visit individual library websites using the linked names below. Member library Balsam codes are in parenthesis (ex: Thorndike Library (THORN)).

    1. Abbott Memorial Library (ABB), Dexter*
    2. AOS 94 Athens Community School, Athens
    3. AOS 94 Dexter Regional High School (DRHS), Dexter
    4. AOS 94 Harmony Elementary School (HES), Harmony
    5. AOS 94 Ridgeview Community School (RVCS-RIDGEVIEW), Dexter
    6. AOS 96 Jonesboro Elementary School (JES), Jonesboro
    7. Bass Harbor Memorial Library (BASS), Bass Harbor
    8. Beal University Library, Bangor
    9. Case Memorial Library (CML), Kenduskeag*
    10. Central Maine Medical Center Gerrish-True Health Sciences Library (CMMC), Lewiston
    11. Charleston Public Library (CHAR), Charleston
    12. Foxcroft Academy Library (FOX), Dover-Foxcroft
    13. Gallison Memorial Library (Gallison), Herrington
    14. Guilford Memorial Library (GUIL), Guilford*
    15. Hartland Public Library (HPL), Hartland*
    16. Henry D. Moore Library (MOO), Steuben*
    17. Jim Ditzler Public Memorial Library (DITZLER), New Sharon*
    18. Katahdin Public Library (KPL), Island Falls*
    19. Mechanics’ Hall Library (MECH), Portland
    20. Milbridge Public Library (MILBRIDGE), Milbridge
    21. Monroe Community Library (MONROE), Monroe
    22. Monson Free Library (MONSON), Monson
    23. MSAD 4 Piscataquis Community Elementary School (PCES), Guilford
    24. MSAD 4 Piscataquis Community Secondary [High] School (PCSS), Guilford
    25. MSAD 15 Helen S. Dunn School Library (DUNN), Greenbush
    26. MSAD 41 Penquis Valley Elementary Schools(PENQUIS-PES), Milo
      1. Milo Elementary School
      2. Brownville Elementary School
    27. MSAD 41 Penquis Valley Middle & High School (PENQUIS-HS), Milo
    28. Newport Cultural Center (NEW), Newport*
    29. Ogunquit Memorial Library (OGUN), Ogunquit*
    30. RSU 73 Spruce Mountain Primary School (SMPS), Jay
    31. RSU 73 Spruce Mountain Elementary School (SMES), Jay
    32. RSU 73 Spruce Mountain Middle School (SMMS), Jay
    33. RSU 73 Spruce Mountain High School (SMHS), Jay
    34. RSU 87 Carmel Elementary School (CES), Carmel
    35. RSU 87 Caravel Middle School (CMS), Carmel
    36. RSU 87 Susan Smith Elementary School (SES), Levant
    37. Shaw Public Library (SHA), Greenville*
    38. Simpson Memorial Library (SIM), Carmel*
    39. Thompson Free Library (THO), Dover-Foxcroft*
    40. Thorndike Library, College of the Atlantic (THORN), Bar Harbor*
    41. Unity Public Library (UNITY), Unity
    42. Veteran’s Memorial Library (VML), Patten
    43. Waldo Peirce Reading Room Library (WALDO), Frankfort*

 *= ILL lirbaries

Member Benefits

  1. Access to Evergreen ILS that facilitates the management, cataloging, and circulation of library materials, and through its OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) and KPAC (Kid’s Online Public Access Catalog) helps patrons find those materials.
  2. Assistance with setup of Evergreen and help with migration from previous system if needed.
  3. Free training sessions from Balsam members with advanced Evergreen experience.
  4. Access to free training videos and training resources.
  5. Access to the Balsam Listerv.
  6. Balsam member mentor.
  7. Optional participation in the Balsam Interlibrary Loan Program.

Membership Fees

  1. One-time joining fee of $500.
  2. Annual membership fees billed in June, but based on May 31 numbers, payment due in July based on number of individual items:
    • 10,000 or less = $400
    • 10,000-17,500 = $500
    • 17,500-24,999 = $600
    • 25,000-37,500 = $700
    • 37,500-49,999 = $800
    • 50,000-62,500 = $900
    • 62,500-74,999 = $1000
    • 75,000-99,999 = $1200
    • 100,000-124,999 = $1400
    • 125,000-149,999 = $1600
    • 150,000 and up = $1800

What is Evergreen? An open-source integrated library system. What is an ILS? An integrated library system (ILS) is a system that allows librarians to circulate and catalog items, manage patron activity, manage due dates and fines, track item movement, among other features.

What is an OPAC? An online public access catalog (OPAC), often known simply as a library catalog, allows users to search a library’s collections using a web-based interface.

What is a KPAC? A kids public access catalog (KPAC), allows children and teens to search a library’s collections by topic and age group using a web-based interface.  

Join Us

Interested in joining Maine Balsam Libraries?

Whether you are migrating from another system or starting fresh with Evergreen, we welcome all members!

  1. Read about migration to and setup of Evergreen. 
  2. Contact Nancy Grant, President nbgrantme@gmail.com
  3. Read and sign the Balsam-agreement-to-participate-2018-12