The new state budget included a 20-percent cut to all libraries, which means the Palmerton Area Library is struggling to come up with a budget for next year. The library may have to cut staff hours, library hours and services if funds are not available.

Those interested in supporting the library can call for more information about the monthly library board of directors meetings, or the Friends of the Library.Currently, the library is open Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays from 10-5, and Saturdays from 9-4.Halloween partyThe Palmerton Area Library thanks the Teen Advisory Group and their advisers for the great Halloween "Whodunnit" Mystery and Halloween Party presented at the library during Halloween week.Area children and parents enjoyed the play, games, coloring contest and snacks. The Teen Advisory Group meets at the library on the first Wednesday of each month after school, and is open to all teens in grades 7-12. They are currently working on remodeling a portion of the library for a new teen area to be used for meetings and activities of the group.Anyone interested in joining should contact the library at 610-826-3424 or fill out the membership form on our library website.The library also thanks friends, staff and supporters who donated items for the Handcrafted Items Auction being held at the library. There are 48 items to view for the drawing on Friday, Dec. 4.The Annual Arts Show and Lunch, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, will be held Sunday, Jan. 24, from noon-3 p.m. The library is currently looking for interested artists who would like to display their art work at the show. Call the library by Jan, 1, 2010, if you are interested in displaying art work at the library show.The Tail Waggin' Tutors, children reading to dogs, sponsored by Therapy Dogs International, Inc., will be at the library on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 11-noon. Children can practice reading out loud to trained dogs and their owners.This event is free for all area children, but parents must call ahead to register for a time slot.The library has the following new release DVD's available for borrowing: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, The Proposal, Monsters vs. Aliens, X-Men Origins; Wolverine, The Soloist, Race to Witch Mountain, Duplicity, Coraline, Transformers, and Sunshine Cleaning. All new movies are free for patrons for two weeks.Check out the library Web site at

www.palmertonarealibrary.com to see what other movies are available, or to put a hold on a movie. New movies are arriving weekly.Also check the Web site for a complete list of activities and opportunities.