Lewiston Public Library
🏢 Minerva Library Network · Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston Public Library
Built with a $60,000 Andrew Carnegie gift and opened in 1902, the Lewiston Public Library is one of Maine's grandest Carnegie buildings — a Colonial Revival granite landmark on Lisbon Street that anchors Androscoggin County's cultural life and houses the Marsden Hartley Cultural Center.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9:30am–7pm |
| Tuesday | 9:30am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30am–7pm |
| Thursday | 9:30am–7pm |
| Friday | 9:30am–1pm |
| Saturday | 9:30am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 200 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, ME 04240
Phone: (207) 513-3004
Website: lplonline.org
Plus Code: 87PF3QWM+6H (Lewiston, ME)
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Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Lewiston Public Library
The Lewiston Public Library traces its roots to the Manufacturers and Mechanics Library, a collection housed in City Hall starting in 1861 that was destroyed when that building burned on January 7, 1890. In 1902 a $60,000 Andrew Carnegie grant — the largest Carnegie gift for an entire Maine library project — funded a new granite building designed by Coombs & Gibbs, with stone quarried locally in North Jay and Norridgewock. The Greek-inspired vestibule features columns 18 feet high, fine oak woodwork graces the fireplace mantels, and the building earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. A 1996 renovation shifted the main entrance to Lisbon Street, and the Marsden Hartley Cultural Center opened in 2005 to celebrate the internationally renowned artist and poet born in Lewiston. Today the library serves Lewiston and Androscoggin County residents with collections, public computing, meeting spaces, museum and park passes, and the weekly Great Falls Forum lecture series.
⭐ What makes this library special
- 1902 Carnegie granite landmark — Maine's largest Carnegie grant ($60,000), designed by Coombs & Gibbs with a Greek-style vestibule and fine oak woodwork
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since January 31, 1978
- Marsden Hartley Cultural Center (opened 2005) honoring Lewiston's celebrated painter and poet
- Museum and park passes for borrowing, plus genealogy and Lewiston history resources
- Great Falls Forum: free weekly Thursday lunchtime lectures in Callahan Hall
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Lewiston cardholders access Maine's statewide digital collections and the Minerva consortium catalog:
📚 Services
- Museum and park passes for borrowing
- Public computers, printing, copying, faxing & scanning
- Test proctoring
- Study and meeting rooms including Callahan Hall
- Research & genealogy assistance (Lewiston & Androscoggin County history collection)
- Language learning resources
- BookReach outreach program
🎸 Programs
- Great Falls Forum — free Thursday lunchtime lectures (noon–1pm) in Callahan Hall
- Summer reading for adults, teens & children
- Book clubs and reading groups
- Children's and teen programming
- Community events and author talks
📍 Nearby Libraries in Androscoggin County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Lewiston Public Library building historically significant?
The library was built in 1902 with a $60,000 gift from Andrew Carnegie — the largest Carnegie grant for a single Maine library project at the time. The Colonial Revival granite building, designed by Coombs & Gibbs with stone from North Jay and Norridgewock quarries, has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978 and features a Greek-style vestibule with columns 18 feet high and fine oak woodwork throughout.
What is the Marsden Hartley Cultural Center at the library?
The Marsden Hartley Cultural Center, which opened in 2005 inside the library, is dedicated to Lewiston's most celebrated artist and poet. Marsden Hartley (1877–1943) was born in Lewiston and became one of the leading figures of American modernism, known for his abstract landscapes and portraits. The center hosts rotating exhibitions and programs connected to his life and legacy.
What are the Great Falls Forum lectures, and when do they happen?
The Great Falls Forum is a free weekly lunchtime lecture series held every Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. in the library's Callahan Hall. It features community speakers on a wide range of topics — history, culture, civic affairs and more — and is open to the public at no charge.
Does Lewiston Public Library offer museum passes?
Yes. The library lends museum and park passes to cardholders, providing free or discounted admission to area museums and parks. Check the library's services page or call (207) 513-3004 to see which passes are currently available and how to reserve one.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
📅 This library has meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.