The Ogunquit Memorial Library is included on the National Register of Historic Places and is recognized by the Ogunquit Historic Preservation Commission. This picturesque building is a treasured resource situated in the heart of Ogunquit, Maine - “Beautiful Place by the Sea”. Open year-round and welcoming local residents and visitors alike, the library is worth a visit for those interested in history, architecture and literature.
Gabby Gatherings Thursdays, 2:30 – 3:30pm
January 30 - Smartphone Drop In Class presented by the staff
February 6, - The library will be hosting a Conversation about Birds with wildlife biologist and registered Maine guide, Bill Lee.
February 13 - A View of Malcolm X
February 20 - Odes
February 27 - Peter Woodbure, Talk on his father, author David O. Woodbury
March 5 - Gayle Fitzpatrick Paper Making in Japan
About our Library
George and Nannie Conarroe summered in the Ogunquit-York, Maine area for many years. The Conarroes were from Philadelphia, PA where Mr. Conarroe practiced law. Wishing to commemorate her husband and make a lasting gift to the town they both loved, Mrs. Conarroe commissioned the Ogunquit Memorial Library after her husband’s death, and in addition to a gift of 1500 of her own books, she endowed the library with a generous trust fund.
The Ogunquit Memorial Library was built in 1897 by York contractor Edward B. Blaisdell and opened to the public in June 1898. The Fieldstone building was designed by Charles M. Burns in the H.H. Richardson Romanesque style. The building was enlarged in 1914, with original trustee Luther Weare acting as contractor.
New England’s weather extremes and the Library’s proximity to the salt water exact a high toll on the building’s structure. In 2007 the majestic entrance doors needed to be replaced. The doors were hand-crafted by Matthew Browne and The Rovnack Group. This project was generously funded by Arlene and Michael Lanes. In recent years the building has been re-roofed, the windows and exterior trim have been repaired and painted, and the chimney re-pointed.
The building’s charming interior has changed little through the years and remains dominated by a huge fieldstone fireplace, originally the Library’s only source of heat. The Library is graced with several fine paintings by distinguished artists, reflecting Ogunquit’s history as an established art colony. These pieces include portraits of the Conarroes and:
“Breaking Surf” by Charles Woodbury
“Ogunquit River” and “Fjord Ogunquit” by Joseph Benjamin Davol
“Ontio Beach” by Norman West
In the reference room, a majestic grandfather clock keeps stately time. Built by Luther Weare in 1941 from a black walnut piano case, the clock contains inlaid ivory Masonic emblems cut from the piano keys.
Facing the clock sits a perfect two-foot replica of the library, made of tiny stones and complete with fancy copper roof work. This miniature was crafted by local resident Winaloe Stonehill, probably in the 1930s.
Over the years memorial gardens and granite benches have been established by family and friends to honor loved ones.
Below are a few more pictures of our facility, inside and out. You can click on any of the thumbnails to enlarge the image.
Our Services
• Large print books
• Books on tape
• Videos
• DVD’s and CDs
• Photocopier (minimal charge /copy)
• Free WiFi
• Borrowing privileges for visitors to Ogunquit and surrounding towns.
• Interlibrary book loans
Summer Hours
June 1st through September 30th
9am to noon & 2 - 5pm, closed Sunday
Winter Hours
October 1st to May 31st
9am to noon & 2 - 5pm, closed Sunday, Monday & Holidays
Phone Number : (207) 646 - 9024
Email : ogunquitlibrary@myfairpoint.net
Street Address:
166 Shore Rd
Ogunquit, ME 03907
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 753
Ogunquit, ME 03907
Funding and Support
Ogunquit Memorial Library is unusual in that it is a privately funded library open to the public. The Library receives no public funding at either the local, state or federal level. Donations are therefore very much appreciated. Contributions may be made at the Library itself, or sent to Ogunquit Memorial Library, P.O. Box 753, Ogunquit, ME 03907. You can also click the link below and securely make a donation using PayPal.
In the years since Mrs. Conarroe’s original gift, several donors have provided generous endowments to provide ongoing support of the Library. In addition to anonymous donors, named benefactors include the Strater family, Dorothea J. Grant, Rose Voignier, Diane Summers, and Ruth L. Dunham, who was an Ogunquit librarian for 12 years.
Please consider joining this select group of donors who have sustained the Library over the years by establishing an endowment or making a bequest of your own. These folks obviously cared deeply about the Library and manifested it with their generous gifts.
• Postscript
by Cecelia Ahern
• Robert B. Parker's Angel Eyes
by Ace Atkins
• The Secret to Cybersecurity
by Scott E. Augenbaum
• The Scent Keeper
by Erica Bauermeister
• The Warsaw Protocol
by Steve Berry
• A Bookshop in Berlin
by Françoise Frenkel
• The Big Lie
by James Grippando
• Perfect Little Children
by Sophie Hannah
• The Rabbit Effect
by Kelli Harding
• The Museum of Desire
by Jonathan Kellerman
• Tightrope
by Nicholas D. Kristof
• The Other Mrs.
by Mary Kubica
• The Splendid and the Vile
by Erik Larson
• A Very Stable Genius
by Carol Leonnig
• Long Bright River
by Liz Moore
• Dear Edward
by Ann Napolitano
• Blindside
by James Patterson
• Crooked River
by Douglas Preston
• Been There, Married That
by Gigi Levangie
• Golden in Death
by J. D. Robb
• A Divided Loyalty
by Charles Todd
• Uncanny Valley
by Anna Wiener