Program areas at Southwest Harbor Public Library
The Southwest Harbor Public Library contributes to the cultural and economic prosperity of Southwest Harbor and "quietside" of mount desert island by providing Library services to 11981 Southwest Harbor residents and to 3848 non-residents. Last year the Library circulated 55,500 volumes to registered borrowers with an additional 6,000 items to other libraries via inter-library loan. Nearly 51,000 people visited the Library to check out 60,000 physical and online books, magazines, dvd's, and audiobooks or to use Public access computers or the high-speed wifi, or to read in its reading rooms and use Public meeting spaces.
Virtual and special services: the Library's website was viewed over 50,000 times. High-speed wi-fi is available 24/7 and was used by 8,400 people. Public access computers were provided for 37,000 15 minute sessions by 3325 people. The Library's digital archive is an innovative database with over 40,000 local items of interest including the Library's historic photograph collection, documents, and other artifacts through a visual record and is accessed by local and international researchers.
Youth services: an important part of the Library is the areas devoted to children and young adults. Youth services circulated 16,904 volumes to borrowers. The Library sponsored 177 storytime programs to babies, toddlers, and young school-age children and sponsored 230 children's events to 7572 child aged attendees plus their adult companions. The Library has robust summer offerings with a summer reading program with 211 children participants.