The New Challenge Begins in Earnest

Finishing the lighthouses didn’t feel like an ending so much as a shift in what we were looking for: from lights along the coast to welcoming places—lights—in the towns. We started with the idea that there were 257 libraries, which is the number listed on the Maine State Library website. (A list with names, contact info, and hours is here, but best to always check the hours the days you might go.) Since then, we have discovered that there are others not on that list, including special libraries and collections.

We had a head start of libraries we’d been visiting since the girls were small. Of course there were York and South Portland where we live, both libraries beloved by all of us. All told, we started with a count of twenty or so libraries.