Library Archive & Special Collections

The Caribou Public Library believes in the importance of preserving the rich history and cultural heritage of our community. Caribou, Maine and its neighboring communities. Our historical collections support genealogists, scholars and historians, students of all ages, and visitors who are interested in local history or family genealogy. The CPL archive and special collections works with the Aroostook County Genealogical Society.
The Mission of the CPL Archives and Special Collections
  1. To identify, acquire, organize, preserve, and make available materials about the history, culture, and people of Caribou, Maine and outlining communities in Aroostook County.
  2. To make materials accessible to all for research about Caribou, its people, and culture.
  3. To increase public awareness and support for local history records through funding, program development, and workshops.

Our role as Preservers of the Past
We at the Caribou Public Library recognize that research, exhibition, handling, and storage of archival materials and historical documents must be consistent with sound preservation practices. Furthermore, the Caribou Public Library understands that the acquisition of collections brings with it an institutional commitment to responsible custody into the indefinite future. Preservation of our collections require appropriate environmental conditions, protective housing, fire prevention, detection, and suppression systems, an active security system and procedures, a disaster preparedness plan, and a well trained staff. This requires funding and support from our city and community.  Please consider a monetary donation to the library archive and special collections to help us through our endeavors to preserve our past for a brighter future.

Visiting Hours
  1. Currently, a visit to the archives is by appointment only
  2. Any questions regarding the archive and special collections may be deferred to the Library Director  or Project Archivist.
Links to local archives and historical societies:
Digital Archives of The Aroostook Republican. Thank you to the Caribou Public Library Board of Trustees and the Gwen Harmon Memorial Investment Fund for providing seed money to create the Aroostook Republican Digital Archives (ARDA) in 2018. If you would like to donate $125 to digitalize a year's worth of Aroostook Republican Newspaper, please contact the Library Director. 
​Aroostook County Genealogical Society. 
​The Caribou Public Library is the permanent repository for the Aroostook County Genealogical Society (ACGS) Research Center. Although ACGS is a separate agency from the Caribou Public Library, both organizations share their genealogical resources with each other. As a specialized field, all genealogy questions are deferred to ACGS. Questions or research for genealogy should sent to  Brenda Bourgoine, genealogist/archivist
The Aroostook Historical and Art Museum of Houlton.
​The Aroostook County Historical and Art Museum was founded in 1937 by Ransford W. Shaw. Located in the Historic White Memorial Building at 109 Main Street in Houlton, Maine.  The mission of the museum is dedicated to preserving the history and artistic heritage of Aroostook County's Shiretown and the surrounding area.
​Fort Fairfield Archives
In 1925 the Fort Fairfield Public Library was gifted a large collection of Civil War and Maine historical books by Col. Franklin M. Drew in memory of his father Jesse Drew. This collection has been continuously added to over the years to give us the fantastic collection we now have. Many of our items are not available anywhere else in Maine or the northeast. The collection includes specific Fort Fairfield family history, vital records, genealogies and cemetery records, as well as vital records from around the state of Maine. We also have many items releated to New Brunswick, Canada family history and genealogy. Come visit us to research from this collection. ​
​Caribou Historical Society
We, at the Caribou Historical Center & Museum, feel compelled to do what we do to protect and preserve our cultural history. Without specific dedicated efforts by individuals in the community, local history has an inevitable way of silently disappearing. We find this as tragic as the deaths of local people who take their unique stories with them. History gives us examples, a collective memory, from which young and old alike can learn. It gives us a sense of belonging, a sense of tradition. History gives us an important glimpse of humanity in general and a footing for our lives.
​Nylander Natural History Museum
The Nylander Museum of Natural History in Caribou is dedicated to the work of Olof Nylander and the Natural History of the Northeast.
Olof Nylander was a Swedish-born self-taught naturalist. He was noted for his work in Aroostook County and the surrounding parts of Canada, both for his expertise in geological and paleontological matters and his knowledge of local flora and fauna.
Nylander was the museum's first curator and upon his death his collections were left to the Museum. The results of many field studies, research, and collecting are now represented in the extensive collections of the Museum.
Dr. Anastasia S. Weigle, assistant professor at the University of Maine at Augusta and former library director, continues to serve the city of Caribou as project archivist (pro bono).
left: Anastasia Weigle, project archivist; Right: Hope Rumpca, Library Director
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