Chris O’Brien, Ph.D., was named Director of the Margaret Chase Smith Library in September 2024. Previously, he was Director of the Theodore Roosevelt Center in Dickinson, ND; professor of History at the University of Maine at Farmington; Visiting Professor at Beijing University of Technology; and Visiting Lecturer at the University of Kansas. He chaired the Division of Social Science and Business at UMF; served for nearly a decade on the Maine Historical Records Advisory Board; and was a grant-reviewer for the National Historic Records Preservation Commission. A historian of the cultural Cold War, O’Brien is the author of several articles and book chapters on the subject. He earned his doctorate at the University of Kansas and his certificate in Higher Education Management from Harvard. He can be reached at cobrien@mcslibrary.org

John Taylor joined the library staff in 2013. He earned his B.S. in History and Political Science from Indiana State University and holds a M.A. in American History from Indiana University Indianapolis. John is the state coordinator for National History Day (NHD) in Maine and represents New England on the NHD Executive Council of Coordinators. He also assists in educational programming, emergency planning, and the creation, installation, and maintenance of museum exhibits. Previously, John served as a docent at the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home in Indianapolis and worked both at the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana Historical Bureau. His area of specialty is the Cold War with a particular interest in pop culture of the 1950s and 60s. John may be reached at jtaylor@mcslibrary.org.

Nicole Potter joined the staff in 2021. She earned her B.A. in English Literature and Religious Studies from St. Lawrence University and her M.S. in Library and Information Science from Syracuse University School of Information Studies. Nicole’s specialization is cultural heritage preservation. Previously she worked at cultural institutions in New York, New Mexico, and Alaska, including ones preserving the legacies of other noteworthy Americans such as artist Georgia O'Keefe and author Ernest Hemingway. Immediately prior to starting at the Margaret Chase Smith Library, she was the Regional History Museum Librarian at The Community Library in Ketchum, Idaho. Nicole’s email is npotter@mcslibrary.org

Shelby Bryant joined the staff in 2026. She earned her B.A. in History from Ursinus College with minors in Museum Studies, Media and Communications, and Gender and Women’s Studies. Her background includes museum education, public programming, and statewide educational initiatives that expanded access to STEM and computer science through partnerships with schools, libraries, museums, and community organizations.  Shelby is passionate about building engaging educational experiences that connect history, leadership, and civic engagement for learners of all ages. Shelby’s email is sbryant@mcslibrary.org

Amos Reid came aboard on a part-time basis in 2011 to take care of facilities maintenance duties. He is a graduate of Thomas College. In his off-duty hours, he umpires youth baseball games and manages family real estate holdings. He may be reached at amosr@mcslibrary.org.