South Portland established its Department of Libraries in 1965. The Main Library building was opened to the public on December 10, 1966. The Memorial Branch Library, on Wescott Road, followed eleven years later, in 1977.
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, an online magazine and journals database (Marvel), a growing collection of audio books, films and television series on DVD, and a large collection of music CDs.
Selected South Portland Public Library images:
Captain Benjamin Thompson, Winterport
Ram Island Farm, Cape Elizabeth, ca. 1913
Toot's Cottage, Cape Elizabeth, ca. 1910
Illustrations from 'Toby Tyler, or ten weeks with a circus'
John Marion Kaler home, Scarborough, ca. 1930
Tobias Thompson, Winterport, ca. 1870