The Maine Folklife Center is committed to the documentation, interpretation, preservation and presentation of the traditional culture and living lore of Maine and the Maritime Provinces.

The mission of the Maine Folklife Center at the University of Maine is to enhance understanding of the folklife, folklore, and history of Maine and Atlantic Canada, to encourage appreciation of the diverse cultures and heritage of the region, and thereby to strengthen and enrich our communities.

To fulfill our mission we collect—primarily through the use of recorded interviews—preserve, study, and disseminate information about the region’s history and traditional cultures. The Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History (NAFOH) is the archival and preservation section of the Maine Folklife Center and all materials acquired by the Maine Folklife Center are housed in and managed by NAFOH. The majority of the materials in the Northeast Archives are sound recordings and transcripts. The Maine Folklife Center is the only organization in the state devoted to the documentation and study of the folklore and oral history of Maine and the Atlantic Provinces.