About
There is something for everyone here at South Portland Public Library.
South Portland established its Department of Libraries in 1965, making us a relative youngster in terms of public libraries. The Main Library building was opened in 1967, with the Branch Library following, roughly 10 years later.
The Main Library has a book collection of approximately 83,267 volumes (and the Branch has about 18,525 volumes) on nearly every subject from adult novels to the Zip Code Directory.
Besides books, both libraries offer a fine selection of periodicals for both pleasure and research, newspapers (Portland Press Herald on Microfiche from January, 1967 to December, 2005, an online magazine database (Marvel), a growing collection of audio books on cassette and CD, videos and DVDs, music cassettes and music on compact discs.
Online access to the card catalog is available here as well as from home (Minerva). Requests for items can also be placed from home (Minerva). Public use computers are available for Internet access, as well as word processing.
Outreach: The library also extends services to the homebound. For those residents unable to come to the library, our Outreach Librarian will be happy to make home deliveries.
The Adult Area also offers reference, interlibrary loans, a photocopier, a typewriter, a magazine exchange and a card shop run by the Friends of the Library. Patrons may delve into our small local history collection, vertical file of local news and the Kaler Collection of Children's books.
The libraries have book drops for after-hours return of materials, and are handicapped accessible. Our services are free to all South Portland residents ages 5 and up, including non-resident South Portland taxpayers, business owners, non-resident students attending South Portland schools, Southern Maine Community College students, and all military stationed in South Portland. Non-residents may obtain a card for a fee of $30.00 for the year.
Most items (books, audio cassettes and compact discs) circulate for three weeks; videos and DVDs circulate for one week. Items can be renewed at check out, online ( Renew Online ), or over the phone if they are not on reserve.