Two public interest payphones were installed in Maine recently, most recently at Prince Memorial Library in Cumberland on April 23; this follows a March 19 installation at Lithgow Public Library in Augusta.

Both installations were completed by Bill Murphy of Connecticut, as part of the state’s Public Interest Payphone program.

The installation in Cumberland reflects a gradual expansion of Maine’s Public Interest Payphone program, which is adding a small number of phones each year in response to gaps in access. As traditional payphones have largely disappeared, the program is intended to ensure that people without reliable cell service or personal devices still have a way to make essential calls, particularly in community-centered locations like libraries and municipal buildings.

The Prince Memorial Library librarian Stacy Mazur said the need for a public phone has come up repeatedly in day-to-day library use.

Mazur said staff are sometimes asked to let patrons use the library’s phone, particularly by young people who do not yet have cellphones but need to call for a ride or check in with family.

She said the payphone offers a more appropriate option for those situations and added that she hopes the installation will encourage other small libraries to consider applying.

Mazur said she hopes “to inspire other small libraries to get a PIP, to show it doesn’t have to be the bigger cities like Bangor or Augusta.”

She also described the process of getting the phone as “simple and straightforward.”

In Bangor, a similar phone installed at the Bangor Public Library has been supported by Penobscot County Cares, which helps fund calling access so users can reach numbers beyond the local area.

Doug Dunbar of Penobscot County Cares said the phones are used by individuals “to stay connected with family, friends and service providers.”

Bangor Public Library Director Ben Treat said libraries serve as a natural location for the phones, noting that patrons often need to make calls but do not always have access to a working cellphone.

The Public Interest Payphone program, administered by the Maine Public Utilities Commission, was created after most commercial payphones disappeared in the early 2000s. The coinless phones provide free local calling and 911 access and are installed in locations where other forms of communication may be unreliable, unavailable or unaffordable.

Applications are evaluated based on factors such as income levels, wireless coverage, public welfare considerations and the cost of providing service.

In western Maine, public interest payphones are located at the Jay Police Department, near Step Falls in Newry, and in Rumford near the visitor area for Rumford Falls, expanding access across both rural and recreational locations. The Jay phone is somewhat removed from heavier foot traffic areas.

A more central location, such as downtown Livermore Falls, could potentially serve more users due to higher pedestrian activity, based on local conditions. Libraries and municipal buildings remain common locations for the program.