Frequently Asked Questions

Residents can sign out electric equipment by going to the SPETL shed located next to the Swap Shop at the Transfer Station. The SPETL manager will assist residents with signing out and learning how to use equipment. To sign out equipment residents must provide a valid City of South Portland Library card and sign an Equipment User Agreement form. The SPETL manager will provide a demonstration of how to properly use equipment and answer questions to the best of their knowledge. Equipment can checked out for a period of one week.

To return the equipment, bring it back to SPETL manager who will make sure the equipment is in working order and sign it back in. If the equipment is returned late, the borrower will be fined an overdue fee of $1 per day until the equipment is returned. If the equipment is 30 days overdue, the equipment will be considered stolen and the borrower will receive a bill for the price of the stolen equipment.

You can get a new library card or renew your card for free by visiting the Main Library at 482 Broadway or the Branch Library at 155 Wescott.

To get a new library card, you will need to provide proof of South Portland residency by providing a Maine state-issued photo identification showing a current South Portland residence, or a state or federal issued photo identification in conjunction with one of the following documents:

• Utility bill dated within the last 30 days
• A South Portland issued tax bill/tax receipt dated within the past three months
• Current lease, mortgage papers, or rent receipts that officially state the property address (that is, no handwritten receipts; must be a preprinted form which shows the bank or realty company name)
• Current vehicle registration, in the name of the applicant, showing a current South Portland address

To renew your expired library card, please visit the library. Library accounts may be renewed annually as long as the account is in good standing and the user maintains eligibility.

Lost or damaged library cards may be replaced at a cost of $1.

The SPETL is only available to South Portland residents. A non-resident library card cannot be used to sign out equipment at the SPETL.

SPETL equipment cannot be renewed. You will be eligible to check out equipment again on the next day that the SPETL is open after the equipment has been returned. For example, if you returned a piece of equipment on Wednesday, you would be eligible to check out that same piece of equipment on Friday.

Yes, all lawn equipment signed out will come with a battery and a charger.

If the equipment is damaged, please return it to the SPETL and let the SPETL manager know about the damage. Do not try to repair the equipment. The borrower will not be charged for damages unless the equipment is damaged beyond repair due to the borrower's misuse of equipment, at which time the borrower could be charged. The borrower will not be charged if the equipment is inoperable due to a manufacturing-related malfunction.

See a copy of the Equipment User Agreement (PDF).

Equipment must be signed out in-person. You can check availability of equipment on the library catalogue by visiting the SPETL: The South Portland Electric Tool Library page.

For additional questions, please reach out to the Sustainability Department via email or call 207-347-4147.