Unearth A Story: Declaration of Independence Tour

Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library (BHML) has been awarded a grant from the Maine State Library to expand community learning opportunities surrounding the upcoming visit of Maine Historical Society’s Dunlap copy of the Declaration of Independence, on display for public viewing at Bigelow Laboratory on July 24 & July 25, 2026.

Lesser-known Participants of the American Revolution
📅 Wednesday, July 15 at 6PM 📍 at Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor
Louise Miller, Education Director at The Lincoln County Historical Association, will present “Lesser-Known Participants of the American Revolution.” The talk will introduce a small number of the thousands of individuals who played a part during the years of the Revolution that brought our country into being. Many of those highlighted in the talk had ties to Maine during the Revolutionary War. The people of Maine, on both sides of the crisis, were very much involved in the events that unfolded. This event will take place at the Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor; 66 Montgomery Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME.

Life and Liberty: Enslaved Residents of Historical Lincoln County on the Eve of Independence
📅Thursday, July 30 at 6PM 📍at Boothbay American Legion Post #36
James Tanzer, Special Collections Research Services Librarian at Bowdoin College Library, will present “Life and Liberty: Enslaved Residents of Historical Lincoln County on the Eve of Independence.” In the summer of 1776, the Continental Congress wrote of the “unalienable” rights of life and liberty, boldly declaring the American colonies’ independence from Great Britain. But what of the many people in the colonies who possessed neither a right to their own lives nor to liberty: the enslaved? This talk explores how Quash Winchell, London Attus, and Boston Miller, all enslaved in 18th-century Lincoln County, navigated the tumultuous and revolutionary 1770s and, like young America, determinedly pursued their own paths to freedom. This event will take place at the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor; 125 Townsend Ave, Boothbay Harbor, ME.

One Minute’s Freedom: Maine, Slavery, and the Promises of the American Revolution
📅Tuesday, August 18 at 6PM 📍at Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor
Dr. Kate McMahon, Executive Director of the Castine Historical Society, will present “One Minute’s Freedom: Maine, Slavery, and the Promises of the American Revolution.” The Declaration of Independence promised freedom and liberty for all, but the promises of the Declaration were at odds with the existence of slavery. This talk will explore the impacts of the American Revolution on enslavement in Maine, and the efforts of resistance and abolition by Black Mainers and their allies during the Revolutionary Era. We will also examine the contradictions of the abolition of slavery in the District of Maine in 1784 and the continued involvement of and investment in the global economies of enslavement during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This event will take place at the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor; 125 Townsend Ave, Boothbay Harbor, ME.

The Watertown Treaty of 1776: A Wabanaki Perspective
📅Wednesday, September 2 at 6PM 📍at Harbor Theater
Osihkiyol (Zeke) Crofton-Macdonald, Tribal Ambassador for the Houlton Band of Maliseets in Maine, Tribal Commissioner for the Houlton Band on the Maine Indian Tribal State Commission (MITSC) and President of the Wabanaki Alliance, will present “The Watertown Treaty of 1776: A Wabanaki Perspective.” On July 19th, 1776, only two weeks after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the United States signed its first international treaty. The Watertown Treaty of 1776 was a treaty of alliance and friendship between the Second Continental Congress and the Wolastoqey and Mi’kmaq Nations. The talk will explain the significance of this treaty from a Wabanaki perspective. This event will take place at the Harbor Theater; 185 Townsend Ave, Boothbay Harbor, ME.

*Currently Great Room use & Community Room use is restricted due to space constraints. Public Programs are held on the first floor of the library in the Great Room.

The Library welcomes the use of the Community Room & Great Room by groups for educational, cultural, and civic activities. Consistent with the Library’s commitment to openness and inclusiveness, programs and meetings are encouraged to be free and open to the public. Both the Great Room and the Community Room seat up to 20 people; please note there is currently no elevator access to the second floor. The Community Room and the Great Room are available to request for use during library operating hours:

Tuesday 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Wednesday 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Friday 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Saturday 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Please refer to the fee schedule below for private use of the Community Room. The Great Room is not available for private use. Scheduling priority is given to library sponsored programs and activities.

Meetings that are open to the public and within normal library operating hours will not be charged fees, and may be listed on the library’s public calendar. The Library may choose to advertise these events at the discretion of the Library Director. Any meeting that is not public will not be advertised and will be governed by the Private Meeting Fee Schedule below.

Private Meeting Fee Schedule	For Profit	Non-Profit	Co-Sponsored by BHML
First 2 hours	$150	$25	No Fee
Each additional hour	$25	$5	No fee
Staff fee per hour beyond library hours (for both public & private meetings)	$50	$50	No Fee
Additional equipment setup fee (projector, screen, laptop, speakers): $25

Community Room Use Rules

All reservations will be reviewed and must be approved by the Director or their designee.

The individual or the designated person submitting the request, shall be responsible for following all BHML guidelines for use of the Community Room. Those who use the Community Room must leave the room in the same condition in which it was found. Failure to comply with this agreement will result in a loss of privileges to reserve library spaces.

Reservations

Reservations can be made by contacting BHML, or by filling out the online form.
- When reserving the room, be sure to include time for set up and clean up.
Cancellations should be made as early as possible to allow others to use the room.
Failure to notify the Library of a cancellation may jeopardize future reservations.
BHML reserves the right to cancel a room reservation under special circumstances.
No more than six meetings in a six-month period will be accommodated.

Set Up and Clean Up

Groups are responsible for their own room set up.
Groups are responsible for cleaning up the room before leaving and returning all furniture back to its original arrangement.
Light refreshments may be served.
All trash must be removed by the group.

General rules:

No alcoholic beverages may be served without necessary licensing and prior permission from the Library.
Smoking is prohibited
Unless otherwise negotiated, no admission fees will be charged (Room Use Policy)
Hanging anything directly on the walls using tape, nails, or adhesives, is prohibited.
Insuring property is the responsibility of the individual and/or group using the room. Proof of insurance may be required.
BHML is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
The Group shall be responsible for any damage to Library property resulting from the Group’s use of BHML facilities.
Youth groups may use the Community Room with supervision by an official sponsor.
Any violation of these stipulated rules will result in the Individual and/or Group being responsible for cleaning fees or any additional custodial services required that includes cleaning of carpets, repair and/or replacement of damaged furnishings, walls, equipment, etc.

Adopted 2014
Amended 6-2019
Amended 1-2025

Library Card Policy & Requirements

Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library serves the following townships: Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, and Edgecomb.

All persons applying for library cards must complete the registration form.

Additional requirements:

Year round residents
Photo ID (excepting children, see “Children and Library Cards”)
Seasonal property owners

Photo ID
Home ownership verification (accessible online via town websites)
Non-Residents and/or Visitors may purchase a one (1) year membership

Photo ID
Local and permanent address required
Membership fee, $35 (cash or check)

Non-Residents Eligible for Courtesy Cards:

Southport residents. Students and full-time or seasonal employees working in Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay, Edgecomb, or Southport.

Photo ID
Employer reference or student I.D.

Courtesy cards entitle the member to full borrowing privileges, but do not include access to the digital service, Hoopla. If patrons are interested in Hoopla, we encourage them to check with their hometown library for availability.

Acceptable Photo IDDrivers License / permitPassportMilitary IDStudent IDNon-US Drivers License or permitResident Alien Card

Acceptable Proof of Home OwnershipMortgage papers or deedTax document or listingTown Report Listing

Children & Library Cards

Children 5 years and up can get their own library card.

Children 12 years and under: we recommend a parent or guardian co-sign on the account in order to be responsible for the replacement/payment of lost or damaged items. However, we allow anyone to get a library card that can provide the information required on the Library’s registration form.

In accordance with our interpretation of Maine State Law, once a minor gets their own library account, our communications about that account are directed to the account holder.

We encourage parents and children to link accounts if they wish to share information.

Updated 6/2017

Updated 9/28/22

Updated 6/2017

Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library Policy

Community Room Use Rules

Reservations

Set Up and Clean Up

General rules:

Cloud Library

Hoopla

Hoopla

Hoopla

Digital Maine LIbrary

Cloud Library

Hoopla

Learning Express