Maine’s “Island of Misfit Books”: The Matinicus Library Story

The Maine library described in the 2022 “Island of Misfit Books” story is on Matinicus Island, not Peaks Island. The phrase was a headline, not evidence of a separate organization accepting every unwanted book.

The 2022 Bookstr article concerned Matinicus Island Library. Library volunteer Eva Murray has also written about the library’s development, describing the practical problems of shelf space and transporting books to a small island.

The library’s contribution to the 2022 town annual report asked for one or two books in very good condition. It specifically explained that the library could not absorb a house clearance, guarantee to shelve every donation, or pay freight for unsolicited books. That is a dated statement, not a promise that the same arrangements apply today.

Check the library’s current needs and delivery instructions before sending anything. This page does not provide an unverified donation address or offer a collection service. Claims in the earlier version that all books were accepted regardless of condition, and that furniture or pickup arrangements were available, were not supported by the library’s own account.