William Fogg Public Library
William Fogg Public Library serves 7,317 people in and around South Eliot. Last year it lent 22K books, movies and e-books and logged 29K visits.
South Eliot’s library, in brief
The library is a National Register landmark
William Fogg Library has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1991. Today’s library there has 3,362 square feet. The building ↓
William Fogg Public Library serves more than South Eliot
The library’s service area covers 7,317 people in and around South Eliot, so its per-resident numbers are measured against that wider population. How it compares ↓
Most programs are for young children
65% of the 291 programs last year were for ages 11 and under, including about 2.9 a week for ages 0–5. Kids & programs ↓
This summary is written from the numbers on this page. Numbers are the library’s own report to the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
A National Register landmark since 1991
William Fogg Public Library, 116 Old Road, Eliot.
No late fees. E-books and audiobooks from home. Research databases: courses, journals, genealogy.
New in South Eliot? The Handbook →Hours are the survey’s yearly average. Check the library’s own site for today’s hours.
William Fogg Library
Fogg, William, Library was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Dec 21, 1991. It is significant for its education and architecture at the local level. Its architecture is described as Colonial Revival. It was listed as part of Maine Public Libraries MPS.
The William Fogg Library is the public library of Eliot, Maine. It is located at the junction of Old and State Roads, in an architecturally distinguished building constructed in 1907 via a bequest from Dr. John S. H. Fogg in memory of his father William. The building was designed by C. Howard Walker, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 21, 1991.
More about the building →Every hour the doors are open, about 9 items go out
Fiscal year 2024. The library’s own count.
For every $1 it spends, the library lends about $1.24 worth
Set what you’d borrow in a month. It starts at what the average South Eliot cardholder borrows.
Typical for a library this size: $43. Operating budget $325K.
Last year the library lent and hosted about $404K worth of books, e-books, programs and Wi-Fi on a $325K budget.
Fine-free. No late fees on books returned late.
Retail prices are typical, rounded down: a new book $17, a kids’ book $12, an e-book or e-audiobook $15, a movie rental $4, a class or program $10, a computer or Wi-Fi session $3. The average cardholder’s month = the library’s yearly loans, attendance and Wi-Fi sessions ÷ its 1,866 cardholders ÷ 12.
Close to typical for its size
Per resident, against libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000 people across the U.S. A tiny town’s library always looks busier per person, so it’s only compared with its own size.
library systems for visits per resident.
William Fogg Public Library serves 7,317 people, so it’s measured against U.S. libraries serving 2,500 to 10,000.
More than half the print loans are kids’ books
22K print loans last year. The library didn’t report its e-book and e-audiobook loans.
Each of the 31K books and other items on the shelves went out about 0.7 time last year, on average.
Borrow from home with your card, plus research databases: courses, journals, genealogy and more.
About 4 kids’ programs a week
Story times, clubs, classes and events, by who they’re for.
Programs last year by age group
story times and programs a week for ages 0–5, on average.
Libraries next door
South Eliot ranks 4th of 5 for borrowing per resident. Tap a town to see its library.
| Town | Library | Loans per resident | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | Portsmouth Public Library fine-free | 16.6 | 65 |
| Newington | Langdon Library fine-free | 11.5 | 39 |
| Kittery | Rice Public Library fine-free | 8.0 | 31 |
| South Eliot | William Fogg Public Library fine-free | 3.0 | 49 |
| Eliot | William Fogg Public Library fine-free | 3.0 | 49 |
Loans = print + digital items borrowed in the library’s fiscal year, per person it serves. — = no library of its own, a county or regional system (its numbers cover many towns), or no report.
About these numbers
From the Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024.
- Hours are an average. The survey reports a building’s public hours for the whole year. We divide by the weeks it was open, so check the library’s own site for today’s hours.
- Compared by size. “Similar-size” means libraries serving about as many people, nationwide. Per-resident numbers always flatter the smallest towns, so they’re never compared with big cities.
- The library’s own count. Libraries report their own visits, loans and programs. A library that didn’t respond keeps its address and hours here, with no numbers.
Book talk
Reading, story times and the library in South Eliot.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Libraries: Institute of Museum and Library Services, Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024. Each library reports its own numbers. Distances are straight-line from the town center. Building history: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places; photo via Wikimedia Commons. “What your card is worth” uses typical retail prices and is an estimate, not an official figure.