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Orono Public Library ABOUT THE LIBRARY  Adult  Programs & Reading Groups Directions: The library is located at 39 Pine St in Orono.  In downtown Orono, from Main St. (Rte 2), locate Pine Street (across from the Town Offices and next to Bank America building).  Follow Pine Street downhill and turn onto Birch Strret for parking. Handicap access is on the front side of the building, stairs are on the back side.. Hours:  The library is opened on Saturdays from September to June.   We will reopen on Saturdays beginning September 13, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.   Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday closed 10-7 10-5 10-7 10-5 9-1 The library closes on most legal holidays.  We will be closed February 15 in observance of Presidents.Day.  Beginning July 6, we will be closed on Mondays. Sorry for any inconvenience. Closed Days The Orono Public Library IS open during school vacations and in-service days. On snowy days, call the library, 866-5060, to check our hours. No school does not necessarily mean no public library hours.

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Orono Public Library Staff

History of the Orono Public Library

The Orono Public Library was established during the 1880s by the Orono Christian Temperance Union. As early as 1887, the library occupied rooms on the ground floor of the Katahdin Building. Between 1928 and 1930 a private corporation calling itself the "Orono Public Library and Community Center Corporation" purchased the building presently known as the Keith H. Anderson Community Center and transferred ownership to the Town for "literary and educational" purposes. The public library relocated to the ground floor of the Community Center and in 1930 the Town took over full maintenance of the library.

By 1956, the library having outgrown its space in the Community Center, the town set about to find a new location. In 1959 a plan was proposed for constructing a library wing at the Orono High School and moving the public library into joint quarters there with the high school library. While the public library was to gain much needed space, the school library was to benefit from closer access to the public library book collection. The 1961-1981 Comprehensive Plan called for the move to be temporary and recommended that Orono eventually have a "new town library building"; the move was accomplished in 1962.