Solar-Powered Collections Storage

FAIN: PF-230301-15

Maine Historical Society (Portland, ME 04101-3498)
Stephen Bromage (Project Director: December 2014 to July 2017)

The installation of a solar energy system to provide sustainable preservation in a facility housing collections from the Maine Historical Society and the Portland Public Library and jointly administered by the two institutions.

Last year, Maine Historical Society formed an innovative partnership with the Portland Public Library (PPL) to jointly purchase a disused warehouse building and develop it into a state-of-the-art Collections Management Center. Our collaboration is a creative response to a universal library and museum challenge: how to balance the space needed to house collections with the space needed to use those same collections for programming that enriches the lives of people in the community. Now that building renovation is complete, MHS and PPL each own a condominium within an energy-efficient, structurally-sound building, perfect for managing our significant collections of books, manuscripts, art and artifacts. The Center creates new opportunities for MHS to implement preventative conservation measures that are truly sustainable. Our next step is the installation of solar panels on the roof of the facility that will generate sufficient electricity to handle 60% of the building needs.