Mission & What We Do
We are committed to the academic and intellectual success of our communities with our deep subject expertise, expansive resource collections, and thoughtful spaces to support and foster the critical thinking and information literacy skills central to UNE’s mission.
Mission Statement
The University of New England Library Services are central to the intellectual life of the University community. They cultivate a vibrant learning environment by providing access to scholarly collections and resources; by offering services that foster inquiry and independent, life-long learning; by providing welcoming, interactive spaces and infrastructure that enhance the educational experience and support the information needs of the University; and by preserving specific special collections.
Services
We are proud to support our mission by providing access to following services:
Collections
- Over 150 research databases
- Over 1.7 million book and e-books, 180,000 journal titles and 105,000 films
- Required textbooks and course reserves
- Free interlibrary loan services
- Access to the contents of Maine’s public and academic libraries through MaineCat and the Maine Reciprocal Borrowing Program
Research Support & Instruction
- Research assistance by live chat, Zoom, email, phone, walk-in or appointment
- Information literacy instruction
- Access to and education on the use of primary source materials in our special collections
- Subject librarians and research by subject guides for each curricular area
- Help with research skills including resource evaluation, search strategy, citations and the publishing process
- Open access online publishing and scholarly communications support through DUNE: DigitalUNE
Library Spaces
- Comfortable, flexible study spaces
- Expansive library hours, including 24/7 study spaces
- 15 private/small group study rooms
- Supporting technology including Wi-Fi, computers, printers, photocopiers, scanners, fax, and microfilm reader
- Employment opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students
Impact
We contribute to the field of library and information sciences at the state and national level through our leadership in professional organizations, advocacy, and professional development. Our presentations and published work on areas of expertise advance research, teaching, and practice within the profession, and impact our communities.
Leadership, Participantion & Memberships
Leadership:
- Mary Cabral
- University Faculty Assembly (UFA) Senator & Chair of Library Committee
- Sonya Durney
- UNE OER Steering Committee Chair
- Elizabeth Dyer
- North Atlantic Health Science Libraries (NAHSL) Executive Board Northern New England Representative
- Cathleen Miller
- Maine Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee chair
- Shannon Yarbrough
- AHIP Credentialing Liaison – North Atlantic Health Science Libraries (NAHSL)
- Education Committee Member and Member of the standing committee for the Health Science Library Apprenticeship Program – North Atlantic Health Science Libraries (NAHSL)
- AHIP Credentialing Committee Reviewer – Medical Library Association
Memberships:
- American Library Association (ALA)
- ALA Committee of Legistlation
- Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
- Association for the History of Medicine (AAHM)
- Business Reference and Services Section (BRASS)
- Ex-Libris Users Group of North America (ELUNA)
- Greater Portland Alliance of Colleges and Universities (GPACU)
- Librarians, Archivists, and Museum Professionals in the History of the Health Professions (LAMPHHS)
- LYRASIS
- Maine Archives and Museums (MAM)
- Maine Library Association (MLA)
- Medical Library Association (MLA)
- Medical Library Association Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP)
- National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM)
- New England Archivists (NEA)
- New England Museum Association
- North Atlantic Health Science Libraries (NAHSL)
- Open Education Network
- Society of American Archivists (SAA)
Publications & Presentations
For academic year 2025/2026:
- Cadence Atchinson, Stew MacLehose and Amanda Leen
- University Assessment Committee presentation “What We Measure & Why: The Library’s Approach to Assessment”
- Izabella Botto
- “Enhancing Ethical AI Literacy: A Thematic Review for GLAM Practitioners” in Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals.
- CETL Summer Workshop: AI, Student Purpose & Engagement presentation: ChatGPT VS Library: AI Features in Subscription Databases
- Mary Cabral
- Center to Advance Interprofessional Education and Practice (CAIEP) Panel Presentation: Fact Over Fiction: Understanding Misleading Health and Sustainability Claims
- Sonya Durney
- CETL Spring Symposium workshop: Values-Driven AI: Connection Via Open Pedagogy
- Legislative Advocacy and Public Policy Work for Academic and Research Library Workers: Perspectives and Strategies – editor.
- The Urgent need for political literacy in LIS education in The Political Librarian
- Hilary Irons
- “Spotlight on Maine: Dunes Launches Summer Lineup of Experimental Events in Portland” in Boston Art Review.
- “A New Collaboration Between NADA and Surf Point Attempts to Bring the Art World Center to the Edge of the Atlantic” in Boston Art Review.
- Amanda Leen
- Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning AI Fellowship: AI @ UNE: Student Attitudes, Perceptions & Experiences
- Cathleen Miller
- AiCR Exchange podcast on Historical Documents
- Eastport Arts Center talk: Banned Books and Intellectual Freedom: Where we stand
- Maine Library Association panel: Protecting Our People: Privacy as an Ethic of Care
- Maine Town Meeting at the Margaret Chase Smith Library panel on book bans
- Merrill Memorial Library: Using and Growing Medicinal Plants
- “Why we must fight attempts to undermine our freedom to read” in The Maine Morning Star
- New England Archivists Keynote panel moderator “Caring for Your Archivist: Perspectives from Inside and Outside the Field”
- Karen Nelson
- Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Spring Symposium Presentation: Authentic Learning in the Age of AI
- Laura Taylor
- Society of American Archivists: Digital Archives Specialist certificate