Westbrook – Maine’s credit unions recently introduced the concept of shared branching, a cooperative effort that provides members of participating credit unions with the ability to conduct financial transactions at nearly 1,400 locations across the country and overseas.

Six Maine credit unions went “live” with the Maine Credit Union League’s Shared Branching Network and more are expected to join in the coming months.

The initial six, which combined have more than 105,000 members, include: Atlantic Regional FCU in Brunswick and Freeport, Five County CU in Bath, Falmouth, Portland and Topsham, Maine State ECU in Augusta, Midcoast FCU in Edgecomb, Rainbow FCU In Lewiston and University CU in Orono, Bangor and Portland.

Shared branching provides members and potential members of participating credit unions to have access to the nearly 1,400 and growing service center outlets via the cooperative network of service centers in the United States and overseas. At these credit unions, members are able to cash checks, make deposits, withdrawals (either cash or check), make a loan payment, receive loan advances, make transfers from one account to another and make balance inquires.