Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library
🏢 Minerva Consortium · Sanford, Maine
Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library
Sanford's public library since 1898, the Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library reopened in July 2025 in its restored 1937 Georgian Revival building at 952 Main Street after a $3.9 million renovation — with free museum passes, a shared Minerva catalog, and evening hours until 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 9am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–7pm |
| Thursday | 9am–7pm |
| Friday | 9am–4pm |
| Saturday | 9am–2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 952 Main Street, Sanford, ME 04073
Phone: (207) 324-4714
Website: lbgoodall.org
Plus Code: 87MFC6PG+HV (Sanford, ME)
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📖 About Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library
The Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library serves Sanford and Springvale, Maine, in York County. The Sanford Library Association organized in June 1898 and opened service free to the public on June 1, 1900. The present library building, completed in 1937, was a gift to the town from Dr. and Mrs. Harvey Thornburgh, named for her father, Louis B. Goodall, one of Sanford's most prominent citizens. Designed by Portland architect William O. Armitage in Georgian Revival style — brick with a slate roof and cupola — the building gained a two-story addition in 1976 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. In 2024 and 2025 the city-owned library, governed by a board of trustees, closed for a $3.9 million renovation funded largely by a federal HUD grant and local endowments; it operated from a temporary storefront in Shaw's Plaza before reopening in the historic building on July 7, 2025 with an open floor plan, new slate roof, study and meeting rooms, and updated technology.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Historic 1937 Georgian Revival building — brick with a slate roof and cupola — listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008
- Reopened July 7, 2025 after an 18-month, $3.9 million renovation funded by a federal HUD grant and local endowments (no local tax dollars)
- Free museum passes available to check out for local and regional attractions
- Member of the statewide Minerva consortium — request and borrow across dozens of Maine libraries with one card
- Local history collections: digitized Sanford newspapers and obituaries via Advantage Preservation, plus digital Sanford yearbooks
- Open until 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday for evening visits, with a dedicated children's center
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
A Goodall Library card unlocks Maine's shared digital collections from home:
📚 Services
- Free museum & attraction passes reserved through the library
- Minerva interlibrary requesting across dozens of Maine libraries
- Interlibrary loan for items beyond the Minerva network
- Study and meeting rooms, including space for homeschooling families
- Public computers, printing, document services & free Wi-Fi
- Local history and genealogy: digitized newspapers, obituaries & yearbooks
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and programming in the children's center
- Summer reading program
- Homeschool support and study space
- Community meeting-room use for local groups
- Author and community events
📍 Nearby Libraries in York County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Goodall Library open again after its renovation?
Yes. After closing for roughly 18 months and operating from a temporary storefront in Shaw's Plaza, the Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library reopened in its historic building at 952 Main Street on July 7, 2025. The $3.9 million project — funded mainly by a federal HUD grant and local endowments, with no local tax dollars — added an open floor plan, a new slate roof, study and meeting rooms, and updated technology while keeping the building's homey character.
Who was Louis B. Goodall, and how old is the library building?
Louis B. Goodall was one of Sanford's most prominent citizens. The 1937 building was a gift to the town from Dr. and Mrs. Harvey Thornburgh, who named it for Mrs. Thornburgh's father. Designed by Portland architect William O. Armitage in Georgian Revival style — brick with a slate roof and cupola — it was expanded with a two-story addition in 1976 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Library service in Sanford dates back to the Sanford Library Association, organized in 1898.
What are the Goodall Library's hours, and which nights is it open late?
The library is closed Mondays. It is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed on Sundays. The evening hours until 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday are handy for after-work and after-school visits.
Can I borrow from other Maine libraries with my Goodall card?
Yes. The Goodall Library belongs to the statewide Minerva consortium, a shared catalog of dozens of Maine libraries. Sign in to the Minerva catalog with your card number and PIN to request items from member libraries and have them delivered to Sanford for pickup; interlibrary loan is also available for materials beyond the Minerva network.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
📅 This library has meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.
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✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
