No appointment? No problem!
Catch the tail end of tourist season with Walk-In Wednesdays at Senator Smith’s home! Stop by any Wednesday this October (7th, 14th, 21st, or 28th) between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM for a guided tour on the spot. We can’t wait to welcome you!
As the leaves turn and cool autumn air settles in, it’s the perfect season to curl up with a great read. We are excited to announce our Fall 2026 MCSL Book Group line-up! This season, we are focusing on works deeply rooted in the Pine Tree State as part of our "Set in Maine" book series.
October 29th | 6:00–7:30 PM
Featured Selection: "Ktaadn" from The Maine Woods by Henry David Thoreau.
Note: Our primary focus will be on the opening essay, "Ktaadn," but participants are welcome to read the full Maine Woods collection if they wish!
Ready to join or want to learn more? Email npotter@mcslibrary.org to get additional details, receive the Zoom link, or be added to the official book group mailing list. You can also visit www.mcslibrary.org or call 207-474-7133 for more information.
Spring 2026 titles will be announced soon—stay tuned! We look forward to seeing you there!
The Library is closed today, November 11, 2026, for Veterans Day.
We will be closed to the general public as host the finalist for the United States Senate Youth Leadership Program.
What if the future of tourism depended less on how many people visit a place and more on how much those visits contribute to the people who call it home? Drawing on examples from Maine and Morocco, Khadija El Barkaoui, PhD, explores how tourism can support local economies, preserve cultural heritage, and strengthen communities. Through research and real-world examples, she examines the roles of Indigenous knowledge, women's entrepreneurship, and community leadership in shaping more sustainable tourism. The lecture invites us to consider who benefits from tourism and how communities can have a greater voice in their own futures.
The annual Leeke-Shaw Lecture Series honors Ada E. Leeke and Captain Evelyn H. Shaw, longtime friends of Senator Margaret Chase Smith and original members of the Library's Advisory Committee. Established through a generous gift from Captain Shaw, the series brings experts in international affairs to the Margaret Chase Smith Library to explore issues of global significance.
Khadija El Barkaoui, PhD, is a global management consultant, scholar, educator, and founder of Coelle Travel, a Maine-based social enterprise focused on sustainable tourism and community-based travel. Originally from Morocco, she is an Indigenous Amazigh woman whose work connects international business, cultural exchange, leadership, and sustainable economic development. She earned her PhD in International Human Resource Management through Ibn Zohr University in Morocco and a jointly supervised program with the University of Maine at Farmington.
Recognized as a 2024 Mainebiz 40 Under 40 honoree, Khadija promotes tourism that benefits local communities through her Travel with Purpose movement and Maine-based Vacationland with Purpose initiative. Her work connects travelers with small businesses, women-owned enterprises, Indigenous communities, farmers, and other local voices, encouraging meaningful cultural exchange and ensuring tourism creates lasting opportunities for the people and places visitors experience.
JOINING US IN PERSON? SIGN UP FOR THE EVENT AND LUNCH BY CLICKING HERE
VIRTUAL LINK AVAILABLE HERE ON NOVEMBER 19TH
As the leaves turn and cool autumn air settles in, it’s the perfect season to curl up with a great read. We are excited to announce our Fall 2026 MCSL Book Group line-up! This season, we are focusing on works deeply rooted in the Pine Tree State as part of our "Set in Maine" book series.
November 19th | 6:00–7:30 PM
Featured Selection: "Olive Kitteridge" by Elizabeth Strout.
Ready to join or want to learn more? Email npotter@mcslibrary.org to get additional details, receive the Zoom link, or be added to the official book group mailing list. You can also visit www.mcslibrary.org or call 207-474-7133 for more information.
Spring 2026 titles will be announced soon—stay tuned! We look forward to seeing you there!
The Library is closed November 25-27, 2026 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Field Trip 8:00AM-1:00PM
Library Open to the Public 1:00PM-3:00PM
