If you’ve had your head in the books at the Bangor Public Library, then you may not have noticed the paintings of a broad-winged hawk and ivory billed woodpecker that hang above the circulation desk. In addition to a page of the Gutenberg Bible and a 1475 copy of St. Thomas Aquinas’ “Questiones Disputate,” both of which are stored in the library’s vault, these bird paintings are some of the most prized items at the library.

One look at them will tell you why.

They were painted by John James Audubon, American artist and naturalist whose name is nearly synonymous with paintings of North American birds.

For many years, the Audubons hung over the staircase that leads to the second floor at the library. But when Barbara McDade, the library’s director, arrived in 1991, she decided to rehang them in a place where they would get more attention. In fact, she rehung much of the library’s extensive collection of paintings, some of which had previously been off-limits to the public.

It was McDade’s goal to show off the holdings, which include several works by Bangor artists Waldo Peirce and Annie Hardy. In addition to many maps, posters, photographs and several sculptures, the library also has originals by living artists Vincent Hartgen, Frank Hamabe, J. Palmer Libby, and David Wayne Gray, all of whom have a Maine connection.

Although there is no official number available, McDade estimated that the library has close to 200 pieces in its collection. Those that are not on display throughout the library, including in staff and private offices, are stored in a “hidden room” in the basement. The room isn’t hidden for any clandestine reason. It’s simply a matter of space that requires the entrance to be covered with three large lockers, which are easily moved to gain access to the artworks.

Inside, the paintings are stacked along the walls and on shelves. In the same room is the copper eagle from the weather vane that was atop the original city hall before it was torn down during the urban renewal project of the 1960s. Another closet in a nearby room holds several paintings that have been damaged. McDade said that there’s always the risk that people who don’t respect the value of art will vandalize the pieces that are so casually on display. But she believes most people won’t harm the works and that it is important to have them visible for everyone’s enjoyment.

McDade’s respect for the collection is shared by Abby Ewing Zelz, formerly a curator at the Bangor Historical Society.

“It’s a significant collection,” said Zelz, who works in the educational outreach department for the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport. “But the fact that it spans a time period — from Audubon to Vincent Hartgen — provides a good overview of different styles of art. And also there are the people who have the local connection. They’re representative of a wider movement in art and yet they’re right here in Bangor.”

On a walk-through of the library, McDade pointed out the works that she was particularly drawn to when she began perusing the collection four years ago. Among her favorites were a delicate painting of violets by Hardy, a lantern parade at Halloween by Valentin Henneman, and “The Fisher Boy” by Jeremiah P. Hardy, Annie’s father. On a more whimsical note, McDade pointed out works by Eunice Utterback, a local artist who drew illustrations for a Ford Motor Co. magazine. Utterback’s works capture the essence of middle-class neighborhoods during the 1950s, and almost always feature a big old Ford on the sidelines.

In the children’s room, McDade pointed above a fireplace to a painting of a river scene.

“I hate to mention it but this is where the Remington was,” she said.

She was referring to “Sign and Friendship,” a work by Frederic Remington, which hung at the library for 42 years before the trustees sold it for $50,000 in 1969 to the El Paso Museum in Texas. At that time, the trustees explained that the library did not have the proper security facilities to safeguard the work, which depicted Indians on a western ridge, and the money from the sale went into a building fund. Many patrons were outraged at the sale, and, to this day, some consider the move a major gaffe in the library’s history.

McDade has worked with collections of art at other libraries, but none as large and diverse as at the Bangor Public Library.

“The works here may not be internationally known but they are important to Maine and to Bangor,” said McDade. She added that most of the works reflect the talent of local artists, which is “as it should be” for a city library.

Contest will help library

If you’re an artist, you may be the next one to contribute to the Bangor Public Library art collection by participating in a competition that is being held to raise money for the library’s campaign to renovate and expand the building.

Artists are encouraged to create one or more original works, which can be clearly identified as a representation of the Bangor Public Library. The artist may create a painting which features the exterior of the building, or render a scene from inside the library. The important detail is that it is recognizably the Bangor Public Library.

The winning artwork, which will be displayed in a show of all the entries, becomes the property of the library and will be used to further the efforts of the campaign. The winning artist will receive $500.

For more information, call 947-8336.