Through a web browser, any Maine historical organization, archive, library, cultural organization, or individual can upload digital reproductions of their historical items, catalog their collections, and manage their own content, directly from their own locations. Participation in the Maine Memory Network (MMN) is a free, easy way to digitize collections, generate interest in a cultural organization, and share their knowledge with the rest of the state.
Half of the content in the Maine Memory Network has been uploaded from every corner of Maine by over 270 collecting institutions, called Contributing Partners. Individuals can also upload and present their personal Maine related items.
Every time a user views a document or artifact, the Contributing Partner's contact information is listed as part of the cataloging record. Contributing Partners can also take advantage of www.VintageMaineImages.com to sell reproductions to generate much needed income. This feature is not available to individual contributors, however.
Contributing Partners maintain complete control over the material they upload into the Maine Memory Network. Each image is watermarked and displayed at lower resolution, to help protect from theft and misuse.
Contributing Partners can create online exhibits to display on their websites. In a new twist on the concept of a museum's lending program, the MMN staff and others can create online exhibits that bring together items from many organizations.
MMN staff provides technical support and resources for historical societies and cultural organizations, many of whom don't have the staff or financial resources to undertake their own digitization process or build a website. MMN provides standards and procedures for digitization of historical materials,free computer training, assistance (and sometimes labor) digitizing collections, data storage, and assistance with cataloguing.
Through Maine Memory Network's outreach efforts, Maine Historical Society has been able to raise the collections management and technological capacities of Maine's small collecting institutions.
The Maine Historical Society also hosts regular professional development conferences for Maine's collecting institutions.
Learn more in the Contributing Partners section of this website.
