Find a Banned Book & Win a Prize!

Banned Books Bounty Hunt: October 5–11, 2025

Saddle up for a daring search! During , we’re putting a bounty on books that have been challenged or banned. Use our catalog to track down one of these notorious “outlaws” from our collection. Bring your captured book to the desk to claim your prize and celebrate the freedom to read. You can join the hunt anytime between October 5th -11th.

Each year, Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and calls attention to the dangers of censorship. By highlighting attempts to remove or restrict books in libraries, schools, and bookstores, the event invites readers to discover challenged works and support the First Amendment’s promise of open access to ideas.

*No books were harmed (or banned) in the making of this hunt.*

UMA Libraries has received a $20,000 grant from the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) to launch a new course marking initiative.

This project will help identify and label courses in the catalog that use no-cost (and potentially low-cost) textbooks, giving students greater transparency when selecting classes.

Funding comes through NEBHE’s Open Education program, with support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Looking for your next summer read or a wardrobe refresh? Swing by the Katz library on the Augusta campus and take what you like—no checkouts, no limits, just great finds for free!  

Free For All: Inside the Public Library 

Tuesday, April 8 at 5:00 p.m.
Farber Forum, UMA Augusta

A compelling documentary exploring the history, mission, and democratic role of public libraries. Join us for a post-film community conversation.

WE WANT THE FUNK!

Tuesday, April 15 at 12-1:30 p.m.
Fine Arts Building 124, UMA Augusta AND Online via Zoom

WE WANT THE FUNK! is a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, spanning from African, soul, and early jazz roots, to its rise into the public consciousness. Featuring James Brown’s dynamism, the extraterrestrial funk of George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic, transformed girl group Labelle, and Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, the story also traces funk’s influences on both new wave and hip-hop.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Anita Jerosch, Associate Professor of Music, Dr. Lindsey Wiehl, Assistant Professor of Music, and Duane Edwards, Instructor of Music.

Online attendees should .

Both events are free and open to all.

These modern study pods offer reduced noise levels (up to 23 decibels) and a built-in ultra-quiet fan to keep the air fresh and flowing.

Equipped with electrical outlets, USB ports for charging your devices, adjustable lighting, and a convenient shelf, the Nook Pods are designed to make studying or attending online classes or meetings more productive and enjoyable.

Stop by and experience the perfect spot for focused work!

On February 22 at 12 pm, the Â鶹APP’s (UMA) Leadership Team and members of Maine’s Department of Corrections (DOC) hosted an event at the UMA Augusta campus to dedicate a hand-carved table built by residents of the Maine State Prison (MSP) and gifted to UMA. The table was built by DOC residents who are also UMA graduates and it recognizes, honors, and thanks Â鶹APP faculty and administration for its long history and commitment to higher education in Maine’s prisons.

The table is made from various hardwoods and supported by two columns of hand-carved “textbooks” depicting academic courses and individual faculty names. It is estimated that more than 1,100 hours went into its creation by the MSP craftsmen. The library table dedication honors Â鶹APP long history with the Maine DOC as well as recognizing the incredible artistry that MSP residents devoted to the table’s creation.

The dedication event included short presentations by Â鶹APP Interim President Joseph Szakas, Maine’s Commissioner of the Department of Corrections, Randall Liberty, faculty who teach at the prisons, MSP residents and artisans who built the table, and some graduates of Â鶹APP Prison Education Partnership (PEP).

Â鶹APP PEP began at MSP in 2006 with generosity from Doris Buffett and her Sunshine Lady Foundation. Since its inception, UMA academic programming has expanded to all adult correctional facilities in Maine. Â鶹APP PEP currently enrolls 196 male and female students seeking associate and baccalaureate degrees. In 2016, UMA became a lead institution in the national Second Chance Pell Experiment, an initiative that provides need-based Pell Grants to incarcerated individuals through the U.S. Department of Education, and that funding continues today.

According to the MDOC Programming Division Report in 2021, “the college program has had a transformative impact on the culture of corrections and in the mindset of residents.” As a result of the Second Chance Pell Experimental Program, the Department of Education reports that “postsecondary education in prison contributes to successful reentry for people who have been incarcerated and promotes public safety.” In Maine, the recidivism rate for participants of higher education in prison is just 5%.

In addition to its participation in the Second Chance Pell Experiment, in 2020 UMA received a $940,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation which provided the first official support position for the college program – a Prison Education Partnership Director. The Grant also provided the addition of 180 laptops and 20 mobile web-conferencing carts across all MDOC facilities increasing both programming and student participation. Since 2006, UMA has awarded over 70 degrees to DOC residents and currently there are several students pursuing Masters and Doctoral degrees.

For further information about Â鶹APP Prison Education Partnership please contact Dan Philbrick, Interim Director of Prison Education – Academics, 207-282-4111 (7433).

Refreshments will be provided to in-person attendees.

The Zoom link will be posted on on the day of the event.