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 Dexter Regional High School (DRHS), Dexter
    3. AOS 94 Harmony Elementary School (HES), Harmony
    4. AOS 94 Ridgeview Community School (RVCS-RIDGEVIEW), Dexter
    5. AOS 96 Jonesboro Elementary School (JES), Jonesboro
    6. Bass Harbor Memorial Library (BASS), Bass Harbor
    7. Beal University Library, Bangor
    8. Brown Memorial Library (Brown), Clinton
    9. Case Memorial Library (CML), Kenduskeag*
    10. Foxcroft Academy Library (FOX), Dover-Foxcroft
    11. Gallison Memorial Library (Gallison), Herrington
    12. Guilford Memorial Library (GUIL), Guilford*
    13. Hartland Public Library (HPL), Hartland*
    14. Helen S. Dunn School Library (DUNN), Greenbush
    15. Henry D. Moore Library (MOO), Steuben*
    16. Jim Ditzler Public Memorial Library (DITZLER), New Sharon*
    17. Katahdin Public Library (KPL), Island Falls*
    18. Mechanics’ Hall Library (MECH), Portland
    19. Milbridge Public Library (MILBRIDGE), Milbridge*
    20. Monroe Community Library (MONROE), Monroe
    21. Monson Free Library (MONSON), Monson
    22. MSAD 4 Piscataquis Community Elementary School (PCES), Guilford
    23. MSAD 4 Piscataquis Community Secondary [High] School (PCSS), Guilford
    24. MSAD 41 Penquis Elementary Schools, Milo
    25. MSAD 41 Penquis Valley Middle High School (PENQUIS-HS), Milo
    26. Newport Cultural Center (NEW), Newport*
    27. Ogunquit Memorial Library (OGUN), Ogunquit*
    28. RSU 73 Spruce Mountain Primary School (SMPS), Jay
    29. RSU 73 Spruce Mountain Elementary School (SMES), Jay
    30. RSU 73 Spruce Mountain Middle School (SMMS), Jay
    31. RSU 73 Spruce Mountain High School (SMHS), Jay
    32. RSU 87 Carmel Elementary School (CES), Carmel
    33. RSU 87 Caravel Middle School (CMS), Carmel
    34. RSU 87 Susan Smith Elementary School (SES), Levant
    35. Shaw Public Library (SHA), Greenville*
    36. Simpson Memorial Library (SIM), Carmel*
    37. Somesville Library Association, Somesville 
    38. Thompson Free Library (THO), Dover-Foxcroft*
    39. Thorndike Library, College of the Atlantic (THORN), Bar Harbor*
    40. Unity Public Library (UNITY), Unity
    41. Veteran’s Memorial Library (VML), Patten*
    42. Waldo Peirce Reading Room Library (WALDO), Frankfort*
    43. Walter T.A. Hansen Memorial Library, (Hansen) Mars Hill

 *= 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

We are currently (winter 2025-2026) migrating to Koha ILS. If you have questions, reach out to Nancy Grant, President nbgrantme@gmail.com.

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